Transport Systems in Animals and Plants
Xylem
- Main carriageway for transporting water through the plant
- It is made of specialised xylem tissue
- Water enters the root system via osmosis
Phloem
- Phloem is the vessel that transports products of photosynthesis via active transport
- Phloem consists of two types of living cells:
- Companion cells
- Smaller cells found along the side of the sieve tube cells
- Contain nucleus, mitochondria, vacuoles and other cell organelles
- Control the activities of sieve tube cells
- Sieve tube cells
- Long and thin with large pores through the cell wall at either end
- No nuclei, mitochondria or vacuole
- Arranged end to end in sieve tubes