Tra n s p o rt
in P l a n t s
By: M s ca
A
Table of contents
01 Structure of Transport Tissues
02 Transport Mechanisms
Dicotyledonous
(dicots) plants
01 Seeds that contain two cotyledons (seed leaves)
02 Network of veins
03 petioles (stalks)
Leaves that typically have broad blades (leaf surface) and
04 Tap root with lateral branches
Structures of Stems, Roots
and Leaves
Karina Villanueva Brigitte Schwartz Howard Ong
Project manager Project manager Project manager
Structures of Stems, Roots
and Leaves
Brigitte Schwartz
Project manager
Plant Transverse
Sections
• Plant vascular system
is made of xylem and
phloem vessels
transporting fluids
(sap).
• Xylem carries water
and inorganic ions
(mineral salts) from
roots to the parts
above (in only one
direction).
• Phloem carries
products of
photosynthesis from
leaves to the other
parts of the plant.
Xylem Distribution
• The functions of xylem tissue in a plant are:
• Vascular tissue that carries dissolved minerals and
water up the plant
• Structural support
• Food storage
Tissue plan
diagrams of a
dicotyledonous
root
In the roots the vascular bundle is
found in the centre and the centre
core of this is xylem tissue.
This helps the roots withstand the
pulling strains they are subjected
to as the plant transports water
upwards and grows
Tissue plan
diagrams of a
dicotyledonous
stem
In the stems the vascular
bundles are located around the
outside and the xylem tissue is
found on the inside (closest to
the centre of the stem) to help
support the plant
Tissue plan
diagrams of a
dicotyledonous
leaf
In the leaves the vascular bundles
form the midrib and veins and
therefore spread from the centre of
the leaf in a parallel line. The xylem
tissue is found on the upper side of
the bundles (closest to the upper
epidermis)
Phloem Distribution
• The function of phloem tissue in a plant is to:
• Transport organic compounds, particularly sucrose,
from the source (eg. leaf) to the sink (eg. roots). The
transport of these compounds can occur up and
down the plant
• Phloem is a complex tissue also made up of various
cell types; its bulk is made up of sieve tube elements
which are the main conducting cells and the
companion cells
• Other cell types of phloem tissue also include
parenchyma for storage and strengthening fibres
Tissue plan
diagrams of a
dicotyledonous
root
In the roots the vascular bundle is
found in the centre and on the edges
of the centre core is the phloem
tissue
Tissue plan
diagrams of a
dicotyledonous
stem
In the stems, the vascular bundles
are located around the outside and
the phloem tissue is found on
the outside (closest to the epidermis)
Tissue plan
diagrams of a
dicotyledonous
leaf
In the leaves, the vascular bundles
form the midrib and veins and
therefore spread from the centre of
the leaf in a parallel line. The phloem
tissue is found on the lower side of
the bundles (closest to the lower
epidermis)
The distribution
of xylem and
phloem tissue in
the roots, stem
and leaves in a
herbaceous
dicotyledonous
plant
Xylem Vessels
Elements
Xylem tissue is made up of four cell
types that function together:
• Tracheids (long, narrow tapered
cells with pits)
• Vessel elements (large with
thickened cell walls and no end
plates when mature)
• Xylem parenchyma
• Sclerenchyma cells (fibres and
sclereids)
Xylem Diagram
Images of xylem vessel elements:
(a) photomicrograph in longitudinal
section (lignin is stained red)
(b) scanning electron micrograph in
transverse section and
(c) microscope image in transverse
section and drawing (lignin is
stained red)
Structure of Xylem
Xylem vessel elements are specialised cells
with;
•long cylindrical shape
•thick lignified walls
•no cell structures other than cell walls
•no cell walls at the ends of the cell
•pits on the side walls
Xylem functions in
•transportation
•support
Structure of Xylem
Xylem vessel elements are specialised cells
with;
•long cylindrical shape
•thick lignified walls
•no cell structures other than cell walls
•no cell walls at the ends of the cell
•pits on the side walls
Xylem functions in
•transportation
•support
Structure of
Xylem
Relating Structure & Function
in Xylem Vessel Elements Table
Relating Structure & Function
in Xylem Vessel Elements Table
P h l o e m S i e v e Tu b e
Elements & Companion
C e l l s : S t r u c t u re &
Fu n c t i o n
•The function of phloem tissue in a plant:
• Transport organic compounds
(assimilates), particularly sucrose, from
the source (eg. leaf) to the sink (eg. roots).
The transport of these compounds can
occur up and down the plant
•The organic compounds are dissolved in water
to form sap
•Phloem is a complex tissue made up of various
cell types; sieve tube elements which are the
main conducting cells and companion cells
•Other cell types of phloem tissue also include
parenchyma for storage and strengthening
fibres
•Mature phloem tissue contains living cells,
unlike xylem tissue
(a) Microscope slide image and drawing of a sieve tube
element and companion cell in transverse section (TS),
(b) photomicrograph image and drawing of a sieve tube
element and companion cell in longitudinal section (LS).
Structure of phloem tissue. (c) Transmission electron
micrograph image and drawing of a sieve tube
element and companion cell in transverse section
(TS)
Phloem sieve tube elements structure & function table
Water & Mineral Ion
Transport: Pathways &
Mechanisms
• The uptake of water is a passive
process and occurs by osmosis
• The uptake of minerals can be
passive or active and occurs by
diffusion or active transport
respectively
• Plants must take in a constant
supply of water and dissolved
minerals to compensate for the
continuous loss of water via
transpiration in the leaves, and so
that they can photosynthesise
and produce proteins.
Movement of water across the
root from root hairs to xylem
Water & Mineral Ion
Transport: Pathways &
Mechanisms
• There are two pathways that
water (and the dissolved
solutes) can take to move
across the cortex (and
molecules can change
between routes at any time):
1. Apoplast (also known as
apoplastic)
2. Symplast (also known as
symplastic)
Apoplast Pathway
• Most water travels via the apoplast pathway (when transpiration rates are high)
• The water moves by diffusion (as it is not crossing a partially permeable membrane)
• The water can move from cell wall to cell wall directly or through the spaces
between cells
• The movement of water through the apoplast pathway occurs more rapidly than the
symplast pathway
• When the water reaches the endodermis the presence of a thick, waterproof, waxy
band of suberin within the cell wall blocks the apoplast pathway
• This band is called the Casparian strip and forms an impassable barrier for the water
• When the water and dissolved minerals reach the Casparian strip they must take
the symplast pathway.
• The presence of this strip is not fully understood but it is thought that forcing water
into the symplast pathway, and therefore through cell membranes, may help the
plant control which mineral ions reach the xylem
Symplast Pathway
• A smaller volume of water travels via
the symplast pathway, which involves
the cytoplasm and plasmodesmata,
and vacuole of the cells
• The water moves by osmosis into the
cell (across the partially permeable
cell surface membrane), possibly into
the vacuole (through the tonoplast by
osmosis) and between cells through
the plasmodesmata
• The movement of water in the
symplast pathway is slower than the
apoplast pathway
• The Casparian strip contains a water-resistant molecule called suberin
Water & Mineral Ion
Transport in Plants
Movement of water through xylem
from root to leaf
Water moves up in the xylem vessels by
mass flow because of:
• Transpiration pull (tension due to
water moving out of xylem in the leaf)
• Adhesion (water molecules to xylem
walls)
• Cohesion (water molecules attracted
to each other by H bonds)
Movement of water
through xylem from root
to leaf
Transpiration
Diagram
Exam Tip
Transpiration and the transpiration
stream are different:
• Transpiration is the loss of water
vapour from the leaves or stem
• Whereas the transpiration
stream is the movement of water
through the xylem tissue and
mesophyll cells.
The pull from the water moving through the mesophyll cells results in water
leaving the xylem vessels through pits (non-lignified areas), which then
causes water to move up the xylem vessels to replace this lost water. This
movement is called the transpiration stream
When rates of transpiration are high the walls of the xylem are pulled inwards
by the faster flow of water
Exam Tip (Keywords)
• Water potential gradient (between leaves and roots),
• Diffusion (water vapour through the stomata)
• Transpiration pull (evaporation of water from the
mesophyll cells pulls other water molecules from the
xylem tissue)
• Cohesion (between water molecules)
• Adhesion (between water molecules and cellulose
within the cell walls)
• Cohesion-tension theory (tension present in xylem
vessels causes a continuous column of water and is
due to cohesive and adhesive forces)
• Osmosis (water moving via the symplast pathway
across the roots and leaves)
Review
Example of Question
Movement in The
Phloem (Transport
of Assimilates)
• The uptake of water is a passive
process and occurs by osmosis
• The uptake of minerals can be
passive or active and occurs by
diffusion or active transport
respectively
• Plants must take in a constant
supply of water and dissolved
minerals to compensate for the
continuous loss of water via
transpiration in the leaves, and so
that they can photosynthesise
and produce proteins.
Movement in The
Phloem (Transport of
• Assimilates)
Assimilates are transported from
sources to sinks in phloem.
• The liquid that is being
transported (found within phloem
sieve tubes) is called phloem sap
• This phloem sap consists not only
of sugars (mainly sucrose) but
also of water and other dissolved
substances such as amino acids
and minerals
Description Common examples
Sources Part of the plant which provides food Leaves, storage organs
for another part
Sinks Part of the plant which receives food Fruits, flowers, roots, storage
from another part organs, buds
Movement in The
Phloem (Transport of
Assimilates)
Phloem Structure
• Phloem tissue contain sieve
tube elements and
companion cells.
• Sieve tube elements
transport assimilates and
companion cells support
sieve tube elements.
Phloem Structure
• Parenchyma: In root, stem
and leaf
• Collenchyma: In stem and
leaf
• Sclerenchyma: In stem
Tha n k
y o u
