Year 10 - Science
Meristem cells in plants
Stem cells and differentiation
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores the function of stem cells and the importance of cell differentiation. It discusses the benefits and risks of stem cell use in medicine, evaluates applications of science, and considers the personal, social, economic, and environmental implications of scientific decisions.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain what meristem cells are and give examples of where they are found in plants.
Key Notes
- Plants have unspecialised cells called meristem cells, which are located in the stem and the tips of roots and shoots.
- Meristem cells in roots and shoots divide and differentiate to enable roots and shoots to grow longer and wider.
- Meristem cells in the shoots also divide and differentiate to make leaves and flowers.
- Meristem cells in the stem and roots also divide and differentiate to make tissues such as xylem and phloem.
- Meristem tissue can be used to produce clones for crops or to protect endangered species.
Vocabulary To Learn
- meristem: unspecialised cells that undergo mitosis and can differentiate into any type of plant cell
- shoot: where new plant growth occurs above the ground
- root: where new plant growth occurs underground
- xylem: a plant tissue that transports water upwards through the plant
- phloem: a plant tissue that transports sugars through the plant
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Roots are not a tissue of the plant, or contain living cells, also that wood is not made of living cells.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Plants have unspecialised cells called meristem cells, which are located in the stem and the tips of roots and shoots. Meristem cells in roots and shoots divide and differentiate to enable roots and shoots to grow longer and wider.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'meristem'
unspecialised cells that undergo mitosis and can differentiate into any type of plant cell. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Roots are not a tissue of the plant, or contain living cells, also that wood is not made of living cells. Correction: Show the cells of roots and how they divide to allow the length and width of the root to grow; also the rings on trees that indicate new cell division in the trunk of a tree.
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