Download Plant Parts and Cells Plants are living things that are made of many

Plant Parts and Cells
Plants are living things that are made of many cells. They have many of the same
requirements as you. They need water, energy to grow and nutrients. Unlike humans they are not
able to move, they must stay where they are. They have specific structures that function so that
plants can survive.
The main parts of a plant are the roots, stems, leaves and flowers, each with its own function.
The roots anchor the plant to the soil and absorb water and minerals (including nitrogen, phosphorus,
calcium, potassium, & magnesium that the plant needs. The stems hold the leaves up high, exposing
them to sunlight and they provide a passageway for the movement of materials. Inside the stems are
different "veins" that transport resources around the plant. Veins made of Xylem cells transport H2O
up from the roots and those made of Phloem transport C6H12O6 down from the leaves. The leaves of
a plant are flat and thin, allowing many cells to be exposed to sunlight, and they have veins for
transport. The main functions of the leaves are to exchange gases (carbon dioxide comes in and
oxygen goes out), to absorb sunlight, and to complete photosynthesis, the process that creates food
for the plant. The flowers of the plant are part of its reproduction, a topic we will cover another day.
Plant and animal cells are similar in many ways. Both have a cell membrane, nucleus and the
various organelles that are responsible for the life processes necessary for them to maintain
homeostasis. Remember this means that they are eukaryotic cells. There are also some major
differences. As you know, plant cells are surrounded
by a cell wall. These cell walls are made out of a
complex sugar called cellulose. The cell wall is
responsible for the shape of the plant cell, as well as
protecting the inside of the cell. They also provide
structural support for plants and have chemicals that
help the plants resist diseases caused by fungi and
bacteria. Cell walls also prevent water loss. The
second difference is the vacuoles. Those in plant
cells are larger and permanent when compared to
those in an animal’s cells. Third and most important,
plant cells have organelles called chloroplasts.
These are filled with chlorophyll and are where
photosynthesis occurs.
Just as in animal cells, plant cells replicate
through mitosis. However, after the chromosomes
split to go into two separate cells, there is another
process that occurs in plant cells. Small vesicles
come together at the center where the two cells will
separate. They from the cell plate which is what will
become the cell wall in the new plant cells (see
picture on left).
As you can see, while all living things have much in common, there are also differences among
them, even at the cellular level.