Tissues and the Cells

that Make Up Tissues

Learning Objectives:
• Distinguish the three tissue systems
• Identify specialized cell types; explain their location
and function in plants
• Compare and contrast cells of the vascular system
Plant organs are made up
of three tissue systems
Dermal
Ground • Dermal tissue: interface
Vascular between a plant and its
environment
the bulk of the plant
• Ground tissue: lends volume,
shape and support to the plant

• Vascular tissue: long distance

transport of resources

Each tissue system contains

parenchyma, collenchyma and/or
sclerenchyma cells
 Dermal system: contains
Pretty much all parenchyma

epidermal cells and other

specialized cell types that
mediate the plant’s interactions
with the external world.

Guard cells and

Root hairs Trichomes
epidermal cells

http://ibmp.u-strasbg.fr/schnittger/
body_research_modelcells.htm Figure 4.13_B Bidlack and Jansky
 Dermal system: contains
epidermal cells and other
specialized cell types that
mediate the plant’s interactions
with the external world.

“Jigsaw” bulk of dermal layer

Guard cells and • Epidermal cells: barrier to entry of foreign

epidermal cells material, and exit of plant resources.
Parenchyma.
• Stomata: pores that enable gases to move
into and out of the interior of the plant. Mainly
found in leaves. Parenchyma.
• Stomatal apertures (openings) are controlled
by guard cells (parenchyma).
• Guard cells change their shape by taking up or
losing water.
 Dermal system: contains
epidermal cells and other
specialized cell types that
mediate the plant’s interactions
with the external world.

Root hairs

• Root hairs are

single cells!
• Parenchyma.
• Major role in
absorbing water
and nutrients
from the soil.
http://ibmp.u-strasbg.fr/schnittger/
body_research_modelcells.htm
 Dermal system: contains
epidermal cells and other
specialized cell types that
mediate the plant’s interactions
with the external world.

• Trichomes: can be unicellular or multicellular

• Come in many shapes and sizes Trichomes
• Protect against pests and water loss
• Often synthesize
and/or store
specialized
secondary
metabolites
• Parenchyma
http://www.med.uvm.edu/docs/cms_medicalcannabis_handout_0607
16/toptier/cms_medicalcannabis_handout_060716.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Figure 4.13_B Bidlack and Jansky
Ground system: “internal tissue”
that contains diverse cell types
giving form and structure to the
plant, and carrying out important
metabolic functions
• Parenchyma provides form
• Collenchyma and sclerenchyma
provide mechanical support
• Parenchyma can be specialized for:
• Photosynthesis
• Storage
• Specialized metabolism
(e.g. synthesis of defense
compounds)
• Secretion
• etc.
http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/Anatomy/Glossary/ground1.html
 Vascular system: facilitate
long distance movement of
water and nutrient resources
between plant parts

• Xylem conducts sap = water and

dissolved mineral nutrients. Made up of
multiple cell types.

• Phloem transports mainly sugars, but

also amino acids and other compounds.
Made up of multiple cell types.

• Many cell types in the vascular system

have thickened cell walls, and give
mechanical support to the plant.
Trees
Tracheary elements:
water transport

• Dead i.e. hollow at maturity to

facilitate efficient water movement

• Relatively thick secondary cell

walls to create efficient conduits

• Sclerenchyma
Two types of tracheary elements:
tracheids and vessel elements.

• Tracheids: longer, thinner

diameter, tapered ends
• Vessel elements: typically
shorter, wider, blunter ends, ends
are perforated (i.e. have openings)
• There are tradeoffs with these
designs (we’ll talk about these
more in a later lecture)

• Gymnosperms have tracheids

• Angiosperms can have both
tracheids and vessels
 Both tracheids and vessel
elements have pits between
neighbouring cells to
facilitate movement of • Recall from the last video that
materials between cells pits are found in cells with a
secondary cell wall
• Pits form as a result of little or
no secondary cell wall
deposition where there are
primary pit fields (clusters of
plasmodesmata) traversing
the primary cell wall
• Pits can be simple (no
overarching edges) or
bordered (overarching edges)
• Bordered pits often have a pit
membrane that is not
uniformly thick
Figure 4.7 Bidlack and Jansky
Comparing tracheids
and vessel elements

Tracheids Vessel elements

Occurrence Gymnosperms and Angiosperms
angiosperms
Function Sap conduction Sap conduction
At maturity Dead and hollow, Dead and hollow,
secondary cell walls secondary cell walls
Conducting Pits Pits and perforation plate(s)
features
Shape Long, slender, tapered Long but typically not as
ends long as tracheids, wider,
blunter ends
Sieve elements: sucrose
transport (and other
organic nutrients)
• Living at maturity  functional cytosol and plasma membrane.
• Lack nuclei, vacuoles and many other organelles.
• Cell walls are generally non-lignified
• Technically highly modified parenchyma cells

Figure 4.10 Bidlack and Jansky

 Two types of sieve elements:
sieve cells and sieve tube elements

• Sieve cells: longer, thinner diameter,

tapered ends, sieve areas only
• Sieve tube elements: typically
shorter and wider, with blunter ends,
have both sieve areas and sieve
plates

• Gymnosperms have sieve cells

• Angiosperms have sieve tube
elements

Sieve areas: clusters of smaller pores

Sieve plates: on end walls, larger pores
 Sieve tube elements share
extensive cytoplasmic
connections with companion
cells
• Lots of plasmodesmata connect
sieve tube elements and
companion cells
• Companion cells contribute to
sieve tube element function…they
have a nucleus, so they can
synthesize new proteins and export
these to sieve tube elements
• Gymnosperms do not have
companion cells. Albuminous
cells are thought to play a similar
role in gymnosperms
 Comparing sieve cells and sieve elements
Sieve cells Sieve elements (sieve
tube members)

Occurrence Gymnosperms and ferns Angiosperms

Function Sucrose and other organic Sucrose and other organic
molecule conduction molecule conduction
At maturity Living but with few if any Living but with few if any
organelles, primary cell organelles, primary cell
walls walls
Accompanying Albuminous cells Companion cells
cell type
Conducting Sieve areas Sieve areas, sieve plates
features
Shape Long, slender, tapered Long but typically not as
ends long as sieve cells, wider,
blunter ends
Tissues and the Cells
that Make Up Tissues

Takeaways:
• The dermal tissue system contains a number of specialized
parenchyma cell types facilitating the plant’s interface with the
environment
• The ground system contains parenchyma that lends shape and
form to organs; often performs specialized metabolic functions.
Also may contain collenchyma and parenchyma to lend support to
the plant
• The vascular system contains a number of highly specialized cell
types to facilitate transport.