AMITY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, NOIDA
CLASS-IX BIOLOGY
CHAPTER -6 TISSUES
HANDOUT 1
What are Tissues?
A group of cells having common origin, similar structure and performing a definite function is
called a tissue. Tissues are found in plants and animals. Plants and animals are made up of
many different kinds of tissues. For example, groups of bone cells form bone tissues and muscle
cells form muscle tissue. Different types of tissues have distinctive architecture best suited for
what they do. We will see that plant tissues are different from animal tissues in many ways.
Plant Tissues
Plant tissues can be grouped into two basic types: meristematic and permanent tissues.
Meristematic tissue:
Meristematic tissues are the tissues which have the ability to grow by rapid division.
They help in the primary growth of the plant. Increase in length and increase in
diameter of the plant are brought about by these meristematic cells.
Meristematic cells are living, cubical cells with a large nucleus.
These cells are closely packed with no intercellular spaces.
Depending on the region where the meristematic tissues are present, they are classified
as apical, lateral and intercalary meristems.
.
Apical meristem Lateral meristem Intercalary meristem
Apical meristem is present at Lateral meristem is present Intercalary meristem occurs
the apical or growing tips of in the radial portion of the at the base of the leaves or at
stems and roots. stem or root. the internodes.
Apical meristem increases the Lateral meristem increases Intercalary meristem
length of the plant the girth of the plant. increases the length of the
internode.
Old meristematic cells lose the capacity to divide and transform into permanent tissues.
This process of taking up a permanent shape, size, and function is called differentiation.
Permanent tissues:
The cells which have lost their capacity to divide but are specified to provide strength,
flexibility and elasticity to the plant.
These tissues can be further classified into
simple permanent and complex permanent
• Simple permanent can be categorized into parenchyma, collenchyma and sclerenchyma
based on their function.
• Complex permanent tissue comprises of xylem and phloem. Xylem is useful in transport of
water and soluble substances. Xylem is made up of tracheids, vessels, fibres and xylem
parenchyma. Phloem is useful in transport of food molecules. Phloem comprises of sieve tubes,
sieve cells, companion cells, phloem fibres and phloem parenchyma.
Parenchyma Collenchyma Sclerenchyma
These are living, polygonal These are elongated living These are long, dead cells.
cells with a large central cells with small intercellular They have no intercellular
vacuole and have intercellular spaces. spaces.
spaces between them.
Parenchyma containing Their cell walls are made up of There is deposit of lignin in
chloroplasts are called cellulose and pectin. their cell wall.
chlorenchyma. The
chlorenchyma help in
photosynthesis.
Parenchyma which contain Collenchyma occur in the Sclerenchyma occurs around
large air cavities are called peripheral regions of stems the vascular tissues in stems,
aerenchyma. The aerenchyma and leaves in the veins of leaves, and in
helpin buoyancy. the covering of seeds and
nuts.
Some parenchymatous cells They provide mechanical They provide strength to the
act as storage cells for starch support and flexibility in plant.
in fruits and vegetables. plants.
Complex permanent tissue-
Xylem Phloem
This tissue helps in the transport of water and This tissue helps in the transport of food
dissolved substances throughout the plant. throughout the plant.
The different components of the xylem include The different elements of phloem include
tracheids, vessels, xylem parenchyma and sieve tubes, companion cells, phloem
xylem fibres parenchyma and phloem fibres.
Tracheids and xylem fibres are made up of
lignin, which provides mechanical support to
theplant.
Protective tissues:
These offer protection to the plant. They include the epidermis and cork.
Epidermis – A layer of cells making up an outer covering of all the structures in the plant. The
layer epidermis is perforated by the stomata at certain places. The stomata help in gaseous
exchange and loss of water.
Cork – This is the outer protective tissue which replaces the epidermal cells in older roots and
stems. Cork cells are dead and lack intercellular spaces. Their cell walls are thickened by
suberin which makes them impermeable to water and gas molecules.
The function of this tissue is to give protection and support to the plant.
