Tissues

Tissue: A tissue is a group of cells that are similar in structure and/or

work together to achieve a particular function.
1. Cells group together to form tissues.
2. The study of tissues is called HISTOLOGY.
Why do cells group to form tissues?
It decreases the workload of a single cell.
It increases the efficiency of a cell to achieve a particular function. It
provides a degree of labour to perform specific functions.
It gives structural and mechanical strength.
Different levels of body organisations in multicellular organisms:
Cells –→ Tissues –→ Organ –→ Organ System –→ Organism
Differences between Plants and Animals:

● Plants are fixed at one ● Animals have the ability

place. to move around.
● Plants make their own ● Animals depend on other
food. (Autotrophic) sources for food.
(Heterotrophic)
● Growth is limited to ● Uniform Growth is seen
certain regions. in all regions.

This means that tissues of plants and animals are completely

different and have different functions.
In Unicellular organisms a single cell is present that contains every
structure they need to survive within the single cell. They are
efficient in carrying out essential functions such as exchange of gases,
obtaining nutrients and adapting to environments etc.

What is the Utility of Tissues in Multicellular organisms?

Multicellular organisms have billions and trillions of cells that form
Tissues which provide a defined Structure, Mechanical strength and
Division of labour. Tissues enable them to perform complex tasks
efficiently.

Differentiate between Animal Tissues and Plant Tissues:

1. Tissue organization is based ● Tissue organization is based
on the mobility of animals. on the sedentary mode of
Plants.
● They are made up of 2. Cell walls of plant cells are
protein. made of Cellulose.

3. Most of the tissues are ● Most of the tissues are

living. dead. Eg. Cork.
● Animal tissues require more 3. Plant tissues require less
energy for maintenance. energy for maintenance.

Plant Tissues are mainly divided into two types:

3. Meristematic Tissue.
4. Permanent Tissue.
Meristematic Tissues:
Meristematic tissue includes the cells that divide continuously. It is
present in the growing regions of a plant.
Characteristic features of meristematic tissue:
Cells of meristematic tissue are living and very active.
They contain thinner cell walls (as the cells are continuously dividing).
They have prominent Nuclei (Key role – Cell division) and dense
Cytoplasm with more Mitochondria.
They do not have Vacuoles as they are young and actively dividing.
(They do not have much food to store in.)
Meristematic cells can turn into any specific cell.
Meristematic tissues are classified into 3 types depending upon the
region they are present.
1. Apical Meristem.
2. Lateral Meristem.
3. Intercalary meristem.

Apical Meristems: They are present at the growing tips of stems and
roots. They increase the length of the stem and root. (involved in the
primary growth)
Lateral Meristem: (Cambium)
They lie on Lateral sides of the stems and roots which involves
increasing the Girth of the stem and root. It helps in the growth and
thickness of the plant by adding secondary tissue.
Intercalary Meristem: It occurs between the mature tissues, at the
base of nodes, on twigs and leaf bases. It helps in the elongation of
the organs in plants and helps in regeneration of plant parts that are
broken

Permanent Tissues:
The cells formed by meristematic tissue take up a specific role and
lose the ability to divide as a result they form a permanent tissue.
This process of taking up a permanent shape, size and a function is
called differentiation.
Differentiation leads to the development of various types of
permanent tissues.
Simple Permanent Tissue:
1. Parenchyma (Most abundant / Most Common)
2. Location: found in soft parts/Regions of the plant.
E.g. Leaf, Stem, Root and Flower. Etc.
Structure: They are living cells (unspecialized) with thin cell walls.
Shape of the cells varies at different parts of the plant. It may be in
Oval, Circular, Rectangular or Polygonal in shape.
They are loosely arranged forming a large space, called intercellular
space.
Functions:
1. Fills the gap present between other tissues.
2. Provides support to the plant.
3. Stores nutrients and water.
4. Parenchyma contains chloroplasts – Chlorenchyma. Performs
photosynthesis.
5. Parenchyma with air filled cavities is called Aerenchyma. It
provides buoyancy (help them float in water) in aquatic plants.
COLLENCHYMA: (simple permanent tissue)
LOCATION:

A. Collenchyma cells are usually found below the epidermis in the

stem, petiole and stalks of leaves.

STRUCTURE:

B. The cells of collenchyma are living, elongated and irregularly

thickened at the corners made of thick cellulose strands.
(hemicellulose and pectin are also present sometimes)
C. The tissue appears as longitudinal strips. The cells are
polygonal.
D. There is very little intercellular space between the cells of
collenchyma tissue.
FUNCTIONS:

I. It provides tensile strength and rigidity to the plants due to the

thickenings.
II. Collenchyma also provides elasticity to the plant parts. The
flexibility in plants is due to collenchyma tissue. It allows easy
bending of leaves and stems without breaking. (mechanical
support).

SCLERENCHYMA: (dead tissue)

LOCATION:

01. This tissue appears in the veins of leaves, in stems

and majorly in the hard coverings of seeds and nuts.
02. It is seen prominently in walnut shells and nuts.
03. It is present in the husk of a coconut.
04. Sclerenchyma forms an important part of the bark
of trees.
Structure:
The cells of sclerenchyma are dead.

These cells are long, narrow with tapering ends. The shape of the cells
is polygonal and compact.

Their cell walls are thickened due to a chemical substance called

LIGNIN that acts as a cement and hardens them.

There is no internal space inside the cell.

Sclerenchyma tissue appears as fibres and sclereids.

Functions:
1) Sclerenchyma provides mechanical strength to plant parts.
2) They make the plant hard and stiff and protect them from
environmental challenges.
3) The husk of coconut is made of sclerenchyma tissue.

Differences between the simple permanent tissues:

 Parenchyma Collenchyma Sclerenchym
a
Living or living cells living cells dead cells
dead
Shape Circular/oval/polygona Circular/oval/polygonal Polygonal/
l /isodiametric /
Elongated
elongated (blunt ends) (tapered ends)
Cell wall Made of cellulose, thin Unevenly thickened at Evenly
cell walls. corners. (deposition of thickened
hemicellulose, pectin) corners,
rigid. extremely
hard due to
deposition of
lignin.
Intercellula Loosely arranged Very little intercellular No
r space space. intercellular
Large intercellular space.
spaces are found.
location Most common Found in leaf stalks, Hard parts of
stem (below epidermis) plant body
Found in almost all fruit wall
parts root, stem, leaf, -nuts
flower and fruits.
Fruit
pulp-guava,
pear and tea
leaves.
Function Generally, stores food Mechanical support Mechanical
(young stems, petiole) strength and
Chlorenchyma- rigidity.
photosynthesis Flexibility (prevents
aerenchyma -buoyancy breakage of plant parts)
prosenchyma-rigidity
strength.

Protective tissues: (epidermis and cork)

Epidermis:
1. Epidermis is the outermost protective layer of the plant parts that covers
the entire surface of the plant.
2. It is generally single layered, but in the leaves of the plants growing in
dry habitats, it is multi layered and thick. (to protect the plant from water
loss)
3. Cells of epidermis form a continuous layer without intercellular spaces to
protect the plant.
4. The epidermal cells are flat and elongated. Their outer and side walls are
generally thicker than the inner walls.
5. The epidermal cells of aerial parts of the plant secrete a waxy, water
-resistant layer on their outer surface called cuticle. This protects the plant
against water loss, mechanical injury and attacks by pathogenic fungi.
6. In desert plants, the outer walls of epidermis are made with a chemical
substance called chitin which is waterproof. This cutinized wall of
epidermis greatly helps in loss of water through transpiration.
7. In roots the epidermal cells contain long hair-like structures called root
hairs. They increase the surface for absorption of water and nutrients
from the soil.
8. In leaves, the epidermal cells contain small pores called stomata. Each
stoma is enclosed by two kidney- shaped cells called guard cells. The
stomata help in exchange of gases and also helps in preventing loss of
water by transpiration.
9. Transpiration is the process through which a plant eliminates excess water
in the form of water vapour from the aerial parts. (leaves, stems, flowers
and fruits)
Functions of epidermis:

● It protects the internal tissues against mechanical injuries, parasitic fungi,

bacteria and extreme weather conditions.
● The thick cuticle, wax, layers of epidermis help in reducing water loss in
plants.
● The epidermal extensions of the root are called root hairs. The root hairs
increase the surface area for absorption of water and nutrients.

Cork:
● As plants grow older with time protective tissues at the periphery undergo
changes and a strip of secondary meristem replaces the epidermal layer of
the stem forming a multi layers thick bark of the tree called cork.
● Cork in mature woody stem is made of dead, thick-walled cells.
● Cork cells are compactly arranged without any intercellular spaces.
● Cork walls contain a chemical substance called suberin which is
impervious to gases and water.

Functions:
 ● It majorly performs protective functions.
● Cork cells being highly suberised and thick walled protect the inner
tissues.
● It provides insulation from freezing temperatures.
● It protects the inner tissues of plants from microorganisms and prevents
water loss.

Complex permanent tissues: (conducting tissue)

A group of more than one type of cells working together as a unit, is called
complex permanent tissue.

The main complex tissues in vascular plants are xylem and phloem.

Xylem and phloem are composed of both living and dead cells. They are the
conducting tissues and have vascular bundles.

Xylem:

● Xylem is a complex permanent tissue. (one way transport)

● The cells of xylem are thick walled and many of them are dead cells.
● Xylem is mainly composed of FOUR types of cells: Xylem vessels,
tracheids, xylem fibres and xylem parenchyma.
● Xylem vessels and tracheids are tubular structures with thick walls that
help mainly in conduction (transportation) of water and minerals from
roots to aerial parts of the plant.
● Xylem fibres are supportive in nature and provide mechanical strength to
the plant.
● Xylem parenchyma the only living cells of the xylem tissue help in
storage of food and also in conduction of water.

● Functions:
● Xylem is mainly concerned with the conduction of water and minerals.
● It also provides mechanical strength to the plants.
● It forms a continuous channel through the roots, stem, leaves and other
aerial parts of plants hence acting as the conducting strand.
Phloem:

● Phloem is the complex permanent tissue which is chiefly involved in transport of food
materials. Unlike xylem materials can move in both directions in phloem.
● There are four types of elements of phloem

Sieve tubes, companion cells, phloem parenchyma and phloem fibres.

● Except the phloem fibres which are dead, all other elements of the phloem tissue
are living.
● The sieve tubes are elongated tubular conducting channels, which are placed end
to end. They have perforated walls.
● Companion cells lie on the sides of the sieve tubes and are closely associated with
them.
● Phloem parenchyma are ordinary cells associated with the phloem tissue, mainly
involved in storing food.
● Phloem fibres are sclerenchyma fibres. They provide mechanical strength.
● The textile fibres of flax, hemp and jute are phloem fibres.