A cell is the smallest unit of living matter that is capable of having all the functions for an organism to survive. All living things are made up of cells and their shapes, sizes and functions can be very different. However, all of them have in common the presence of the cell membrane, the cytoplasm and the genetic material.
General characteristics of plant cells
Plant cells belong to the eukaryotic cell family and have a series of structures the same as animal cells: the presence of a nucleus that contains DNA or genetic information and, in addition, the cytoplasm surrounded by the nuclear membrane. On the other hand, there are organelles, which are internal structures that are surrounded by membranes.
However, plant cells present some unique peculiarities. In this sense, in the cell wall there is a special component, cellulose, which provides firmness to the plant cell. Below the cell wall is the cytoplasmic membrane, which serves as a protective element of the cell and is mainly composed of lipids.
Chloroplasts also appear in plant cells, which are structures responsible for photosynthesis, that is, the biological process by which light energy is used so that plants can generate chemical energy (chloroplasts have a pigment, chlorophyll, which is responsible for photosynthesis).
Another structure of the plant cell is the vacuole, which contains water and other fluids. Mitochondria participate in cellular respiration processes to obtain energy and ribosomes are involved in the synthesis or generation of proteins and, lastly, we must mention the endoplastic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus. This is the general structure of any plant cell.
Plant tissue
When it comes to a set or conglomerate of plant cells, we speak of plant tissue. In plants, the different types of tissues are differentiated by the shape of their cells, their location and the functions they perform. Meristematic tissue is responsible for plant growth and the formation of leaves and branches. The epidermal tissues are located in the superficial part of the plant and its cells have protection and defense functions.
The parenchyma tissue is responsible for the storage of nutrients (for example, starches and sugars) and for chlorophyll and water deposits. In short, each of the tissues has a function, which can be protective, conductive or responsible for the growth of the plant.
The discipline that studies plant cells and tissues is plant histology. This area of knowledge began to develop in the 17th century with the appearance of the first microscopes.
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