Lesson 2.

Structures and
Functions of Plant Cells
Have you
ever
imagined
Earth
without
plants?

2
 It is quite
unimaginable
if plants do
not exist on
Earth, right?

3
• What kind of cells does each part of a
plant consist of?

• How do plant cells differ in function?

4
● Differentiate meristematic from permanent
tissue.

● Determine the functions of each plant tissue.

● Locate the different types of tissues in plant

parts.

5
Plant tissues are
groups of cells in a plant
that work together to do
a specific job.

6
Create a concept map
about plant tissues
and their short
description.

7
Plant Tissues

Meristematic tissues
are found in the
growing areas of plants.
Plant Tissues

Permanent tissues
are composed of
nondividing cells.
8
How do the types of
meristematic tissues
differ from each other?

9
Plant Tissues

Apical Meristem

Meristematic
Tissues

Lateral Meristem

10
 Meristematic Tissues

Apical Meristem ● Apical meristems

are responsible
Lateral Meristem
for the primary
growth of plants.
Vascular
cambium
● The blue parts
represent the
Cork location of the
cambium apical meristem.
11
 Meristematic Tissues

Apical Meristem

Lateral Meristem

Vascular
cambium

Apical meristems located at the root tips (right) are

Cork responsible for the primary growth of plants. The
cambium
microscopic view of cells (left) shows the apical
meristems of Allium cepa. 12
 Meristematic Tissues

Derivatives
Apical Meristem
of apical
meristems

Lateral Meristem

Vascular
cambium

Cork
cambium Plant root tip
13
Meristematic Tissues

Vascular
Cambium
Lateral
Meristem

Cork Cambium

14
 Meristematic Tissues

Apical Meristem ● Lateral meristems

are responsible
Lateral Meristem
for the secondary
growth of plants.
Vascular
cambium
● The red parts
represent the
Cork location of the
cambium lateral meristem.
15
 Meristematic Tissues

Apical Meristem

Lateral Meristem

Vascular
cambium

Cork
cambium Vascular cambium gives rise to secondary xylem
and phloem. Secondary xylem gives rise to wood. 16
 Meristematic Tissues

Apical Meristem

Lateral Meristem

Vascular
cambium

Cork Cork cambium gives rise to cork cells, which replace

cambium the epidermis of plants once they mature. Cork
cambium, cork, and phloem make up the bark. 17
Is it possible to grow
plants by initiating the
growth of their
meristems instead of
seeds? How will it be
done?

18
Permanent Tissues

Simple permanent
tissues
are composed of one
kind of cell. Permanent
Tissues
Complex permanent
tissues
are composed of two
or more kinds of cells.
19
 Permanent Tissues

Simple Permanent Epidermis

(Epidermal)
● It covers the whole body of nonwoody
Simple Permanent and young woody plants and is
(Ground) protected by a waxy cuticle.
○ The cuticle prevents loss of water
Complex Permanent
(Xylem) and invasion of disease-causing
microorganisms.
Complex Permanent
(Phloem)

20
 Permanent Tissues

Simple Permanent Epidermis

(Epidermal)
● The epidermis in roots has root hairs
Simple Permanent which help in increasing the
(Ground) absorption capacity of roots.

Complex Permanent
(Xylem) ● In leaves and in stems, the epidermis
has trichomes. These hair-like
Complex Permanent outgrowths prevent water loss and
(Phloem)
reflect excess light.
21
 Permanent Tissues

Simple Permanent
(Epidermal)

Simple Permanent
(Ground)

Complex Permanent
(Xylem)

Complex Permanent
Trichomes are epidermal outgrowths responsible
(Phloem)
for protecting the plants from water loss.
It also reflects excess light. 22
 Permanent Tissues

Simple Permanent Epidermis

(Epidermal)
● The lower and upper parts of leaves
Simple Permanent are protected by the epidermis.
(Ground)

● The lower epidermis of a leaf has

Complex Permanent
(Xylem) guard cells.

Complex Permanent
(Phloem)

23
 Permanent Tissues

Simple Permanent Epidermis

(Epidermal)
● Guard cells are specialized structures
Simple Permanent that regulate the opening and closing
(Ground) of stomata.

Complex Permanent
(Xylem) ● Stomata are slit-like structures on the
lower epidermis of leaves which aids
Complex Permanent in the exchange of gases between
(Phloem)
plants and the environment.
24
 Permanent Tissues

Simple Permanent
(Epidermal)

Simple Permanent
(Ground)

Complex Permanent
(Xylem)

Complex Permanent
(Phloem) Guard cells are specialized structures
on the lower epidermis of leaves.
25
Why are ground tissues also
called fundamental tissues?

26
 Permanent Tissues

Parenchyma Collenchyma Sclerenchyma

Simple Permanent
(Epidermal)

Simple Permanent
(Ground)

Complex Permanent
(Xylem)

Complex Permanent
(Phloem)
Parenchyma cells are mostly responsible for
the synthesis and storage of plant food. 27
 Permanent Tissues

Parenchyma Collenchyma Sclerenchyma

Simple Permanent
(Epidermal)

Simple Permanent
(Ground)

Complex Permanent
(Xylem)

Complex Permanent
(Phloem)
Collenchyma cells provides a furnishing
flexible support to immature parts of plants. 28
 Permanent Tissues

Parenchyma Collenchyma Sclerenchyma

Simple Permanent
(Epidermal)

Simple Permanent
(Ground)

Complex Permanent
(Xylem)

Complex Permanent
(Phloem) Sclerenchyma cell has two kinds,
namely sclereids and fibers. 29
 Permanent Tissues

Parenchyma Collenchyma Sclerenchyma

Simple Permanent
(Epidermal)

Simple Permanent
(Ground)

Complex Permanent
(Xylem)

Sclereids strengthen seed coats and are responsible

Complex Permanent for the gritty-textured flesh of some fruits, while
(Phloem)
fibers are used commercially as components of
making rope and flax fibers. 30
 Complex Permanent Tissues

Xylem
Vascular
Tissues

Phloem

Vascular tissues are the only complex permanent tissues in plants.

31
 Permanent Tissues

Simple Permanent
(Epidermal)

Simple Permanent
(Ground)

Complex Permanent
(Xylem)

Complex Permanent
(Phloem)
Microscopic view of xylem in vascular plants 32
 Permanent Tissues

Simple Permanent Tracheids

(Epidermal)
● Tracheids
Simple Permanent are thin and
(Ground) elongated
cells where
Complex Permanent
(Xylem) water passes
through.
Complex Permanent
Vascular bundles in roots
(Phloem)

33
 Permanent Tissues

Simple Permanent Vessel Elements

(Epidermal)
● They have
Simple Permanent perforated
(Ground) plates that
allow the
Complex Permanent
(Xylem) transport of
water through
Complex Permanent the vessels. Vascular bundles in roots
(Phloem)

34
 Permanent Tissues

Simple Permanent
(Epidermal)
Phloem is
composed of
Simple Permanent sieve-tube
(Ground) elements that
help in the
Complex Permanent transport of
(Xylem) nutrients
throughout the
Complex Permanent plant’s body.
(Phloem)

35
In what direction does food and
sucrose flow in the phloem?
Why do you say so?

36
Different types of plant cells
37
Identify the tissues described in each of the following
items.

1. It is a tissue responsible for transporting water

throughout the plant’s body.
2. It is where apical meristems are located.
3. It regulates the opening of stomata in the lower
epidermis of leaves.

38
Write TRUE if the statement is correct. If the
statement is incorrect, rewrite the whole sentence
with the correct word/phrase.
1. Parenchyma cells have thick and uneven primary walls
but lack secondary walls.
2. Sieve-tube elements are cells of xylem that transport
water and minerals throughout the plant’s body.
3. Cork cambium produces secondary xylem and phloem
in mature woody plants.
39
● Plants have two major tissues, namely
meristematic and permanent tissues.
○ Meristematic tissues give rise to permanent
tissues which will differentiate into specialized
cells with certain functions.
○ Permanent tissues are generally responsible
for photosynthesis, support, and transport of
water and nutrients
40
● Apical and lateral meristems are responsible for
primary and secondary growth, respectively.
○ Primary growth is an increase in plant’s
height.
○ Secondary growth is an increase in plant’s
diameter and girth.

41
● Ground tissues are also called fundamental
tissues because their functions are essential for
the growth and development of plants.
○ Parenchyma is responsible for storage and
photosynthesis.
○ Collenchyma and sclerenchyma provide
support to the plant’s body.

42
What are the possible effects of a
disrupted flow of food in the phloem?

43
Campbell, Neil A. Biology. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Benjamin Cummings, 2008.

Ching, Johnny A., Ching, Charmaine E. Biology. Quezon City, Philippines: St. Bernadette Publishing
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Mader, Sylvia S., Michael Windelspecht, and Sylvia S. Mader. Introductory Biology. United States:
McGraw-Hill Create, 2014.

Miller, Kenneth R., and Joseph S. Levine. Prentice Hall Biology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Prentice Hall, 2006.

Sabile, Mary Jane G., General Biology 2. Quezon City, Philippines: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc., 2018

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