Specialisation In Plant Cells

Question 1

Differentiation in plant cells

Answer 1

• lots of plant cells don’t lose their ability to differentiate

Question 2

Root hair cells

Answer 2

• specialised for absorbing water and minerals
• close to xylem tissue, where water and mineral ions are carried up to the rest of the plant
• moved into root hair cells by active transport
Adaptations:
• long hairs that greatly increase surface area available on the surface of plant roots for water to move into the cell
• large permanent vacuole that speeds up the movement of water by osmosis from the soil across the root hair cell
• have many mitochondria that transfer the energy needed for active transport of mineral ions into the root hair cells

Question 3

Xylem cells

Answer 3

• transport water across the plant
• hollow in the centre so water can flow through
• cells are long and joined end to end to create tubes to carry water
• spirals and rings of lignin in the xylem cells make them very strong and help them withstand the pressure of water moving up the plant. Also help support the plant stem