The Plant Cell

Prepared by: Elaine Gladys V. Magaling

EARLY STUDIES OF CELLS
Robert Hooke, an English scientist, in 1665 discovered tiny compartments in cork and then called
them cells.
Cell Theory
The cell as the basic unit of life.
All organisms are composed of cells and
All cells arise from pre-existing cells.
In the mid-nineteenth century, scientists firmly established the Cell Theory which is one of the
major principles in biology.
Plant Cell Structures and Functions
Plant Cell
Cell Wall
-gives support and form to the cell and to the plant as a whole
-protects the protoplasm within
-surrounds all the other parts of the cell
Plant cell walls may consist of one or two layers called primary and secondary wall
Primary Wall
-the first wall layer
-formed early in the life of a plant cell
-composed of cellulose and other polysaccharides
Secondary Wall
-develops internal to the primary wall in some cells formed early in the life of a plant cell
-present only to cells that are specialized for support, protection, or water conduction
Lignin
Major component of the secondary wall
Complex organic molecule that is very difficult to break down
Provides support to plant cells and gives wood its characteristic strength
Provides protection against attack by pathogens and consumption by herbivores.
Only one group of wood rotting fungi are able to decompose lignin
Pits
Thin areas
Where water and dissolved substances diffuse from one cell to another
Some are large enough to be seen with the light microscope
Plasmodesmata
Perforations
Facilitates the transfer of materials and irritable impulses
Protoplasm
Structurally complex, constantly changing aggregation of materials which fills cells
Classically known as living substance
Opalescent or transparent, and variously viscid
Consists of watery solution of salts and organic compounds
The bulk of the protoplasm is the cytoplasm
Plasma Membrane
Regulates passage of materials into and out of cell
Nucleus
Control center of cell
Directs protein synthesis and cell reproduction
Ribosomes
Center of Protein synthesis
Made of nucleic acids and proteins
Endoplasmic Reticulum
Rough and Smooth

 Studded submicroscopic particles

Transport and protein synthesis (rough ER)
Golgi apparatus
Processing and packaging of proteins, secretion
Concerned with cellular secretions
Mitochondrion
Cellular respiration
Granular or sausage-shaped inclusions
Plastids
Peculiar to plants
Contain the photosynthetic pigments
Flattened, ellipsoid bodies and membrane bound
Chloroplast
Photosynthesis
Green plastids
Chromoplast
Plastids with yellow or red pigments
Leucoplast
Any colorless plastid
Amyloplasts
Plastids that store starch
Elaioplasts
Plastids that store oils
Vacuole
Constitute the bulk of most mature cells of higher plants
Fluid-filled enlargements of spaces between the two layers of endoplasmic reticulum
Storage of various substances
Lysosome
Act as cellular scavengers, digesting cytoplasmic particles
Bring about dissolution of the entire cell
Plasma membrane
The outermost layer of the protoplast
Composed of lipids (phospholipids) and proteins.
Acts as a permeability barrier allowing some molecules to pass but not others
CELL DIVISION
The Cell Cycle
The life of an actively dividing cell can be described in terms of a cycle which is the time
from the beginning of one division to the beginning of the next.
Interphase
The time between successive divisions is known as interphase and consists of 3 phases:
The G1 Phase or first gap phase. The cell is actively growing
The S or synthesis phase when DNA is duplicated; other chromosomal components are also
synthesized
The G2 or second gap phase where the final preparations for cell division take place
Appearance of an Interphase Nucleus
Chromatin consists of DNA and protein,
Prominent in the nucleus of interphase cell
Chromatin appears thread-like
Duplicated during the S phase prior to mitosis.

Cell Division
Mitosis
This process results to two exact copies of the nucleus.
Cytokinesis

-usually occurs during the later stages of mitosis which is the division of the cytoplasm
Mitosis Consists of
Four Intergrading stages
Prophase
Metaphase
Anaphase
Telophase
Prophase
Nucleus changes dramatically.
Chromatin begins to condense and thicken, coiling up into bodies referred to as chromosomes.
Each chromosome is composed of two chromatids.
By the end of prophase the chromosomes are fully formed.
Nuclear membrane and the nucleoli disperse into the cytoplasm and are no longer visible.
This leaves the chromosomes free in the cytoplasm.
Metaphase
The chromosomes arrange themselves across the center of the cell
The spindle, composed of microtubules is completed
Spindle fibers stretch from each pole of the cell to the centromeres of the chromosomes
Other spindle fibers stretch from pole-to-pole
Chromosomes
Each chromosome is composed of two identical chromatids.
The chromatids are joined at the centromere
Metaphase
The chromosomes arrange themselves across the center of the cell
The spindle, composed of microtubules
Spindle fibers stretch from each pole of the cell to the centromeres of the chromosomes
Other spindle fibers stretch from pole-to-pole
Anaphase
Chromatids of each chromosome separate, pulled by the spindle fibers to opposite ends of the
cell.
This divides the genetic material into two identical sets each with the same number of
chromosomes.
At the end of anaphase the spindle is no longer visible.
Telophase
During telophase the chromatin reappears as the chromosomes, at each end of the cell, begin to
unwind and lengthen.
At each pole a nuclear membrane reappears around the chromatin.
Two distinct nuclei become evident.
Within each nucleus, nucleoli become visible.
Cell Division and Asexual Reproduction
The production of new cells through cell division enables plants to grow, repair wounds, and
regenerate lost cells.
Cell division can lead to the production of new genetically identical individuals or clones. This
type of reproduction is known as asexual reproduction.
Many crops are propagated asexually and are genetically identical
Plant Tissues
A group of structurally similar cells performing the same function
A major portion of a plant body
Broadly classified on the basis of their structural and physiological differences.
1. Embryonic or Meristematic Tissues
2. Permanent Tissues
MERISTEMATIC TISSUE
responsible for the growth of plants

The cells of this tissue continuously divide and later differentiate (ie. get converted) into
permanent tissue.
Characteristics of the cells/tissues:
1. The cells are made of thin & elastic cell wall made of cellulose.
2. The cells may be round oval, polygonal or rectangular in shape.
3. They are compact having no intercellular space.
4. There is a large nucleus and abundant cytoplasm.
5. The protoplasm contains very few or no vacuoles at all.
This tissue occurs at specific regions of the plant body
This is so because in plant body growth occurs only at these regions.
Hence, on the basis of this there are 3 types of meristem:
1. APICAL MERISTEM
2. INTERCALARY MERISTEM
3. LATERAL MERISTEM
APICAL MERISTEM
present at the apex of the main & lateral shoots and roots
gives the plant body a linear growth
LATERAL MERISTEM
lies on the sides of the plant body
lies under the bark of the plant in form of cork cambium
gives the plant its width
INTERCALARY MERISTEM
present at the base of the nodes, internodes, leaves
present in between the permanent tissue
give the plant growth in length
PERMANENT TISSUE
arise from the meristematic tissue
The cells of this tissue gradually lose their power to divide and acquire a definite shape,
size and function.
may be living or dead
There are 2 types of permanent tissues
1. Simple permanent tissue
2. Complex permanent tissue
SIMPLE PERMANENT TISSUE
Comprises of same type of cells which perform the same function and all arise from the same
origin
Three categories of simple permanent tissues:
1. Parenchyma
2. Collenchyma
3. Sclerenchyma
THE THREE SIMPLE PERMANENT TISSUES
PARENCHYMA
The cells are living.
The cells are thin walled.
There may or may not be intercellular spaces.
They are the most unspecialized cells.
No depositions are seen, the cell wall consists only of cellulose.
There is a prominent nucleus, cytoplasm & vacuoles.
Functions of Parenchyma:
To store materials such as starch, proteins, hormones and waste products such as gum, tannin,
resin etc.
Parenchyma cells perform the metabolic activities of the plant.
Forms the packaging tissue between the specialized tissue
By providing turgidity, they provide mechanical strength.

COLLENCHYMA

 Provides mechanical strength

Provides flexibility
It has cells that are elongated.
The cell walls are thin except at the angular region ( where the cells join)

The thickenings are caused due to deposition of cellulose or pectin.

There is 0 or less intercellular space.
The cells are living, have distinct nucleus & dense protoplasm.
They often contain chlorophyll.
SCLERENCHYMA
Thick-walled, strengthening cells
Full-grown are dead.
Two kinds:
1. Elongated, tapering fibers
2. Short Stone cells (walnut shells, fruit of pears, bark)
Complex Tissue
Each complex tissue is composed of more than kind of cell.
Conducting Tissues:
1. Xylem
2. Phloem
Xylem
Tracheids elongated, tapering cells which are dead at maturity and which serve for strength
and conduction
Vessels long, continuous tubes formed by the dissolution of the end walls of vertically
elongated cells, serve chiefly for conduction
Fibers elongated, pointed, strengthening cells with much thickened cell walls
Parenchyma storage cells
water conducting tissue
Conducts water and dissolved substances chiefly upward through roots, stems, leaves, and
flower stalks.
Tracheids, vessels, fibers, parenchyma
Phloem

food conducting tissue

sieve-tube members
Conducts food, principally downward from leaves into stems and roots.
no nucleus at maturity, cytoplasm present
Sieve tubes vertically elongated rows of cylindrical cells
Companion cell border sieve cells and aid them in conduction