How plants make tubes.
The plant body requires the transport of various materials over large distances. Two cell types that bear a striking resemblance morphologically are the cells specialized for water transport and those responsible for the transport of oxygen: xylem and lysigenous aerenchyma, respectively. Each of these cell types undergoes programmed cell death and cellular autolysis, resulting in the production of a functional space within the plant body. The major morphological difference observed is the presence of the lignified secondary wall in water-conducting tissues. The prevalence of tubular structures in other plant tissues suggests that the ability to form spaces through cellular autolysis is a fundamental paradigm in plant development and evolution.
Kozela
Christopher
C
Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Regan
Sharon
S
D005075:Biological Evolution; D001692:Biological Transport; D016923:Cell Death; D017705:Lignans / Q000378:metabolism; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
D017705:Lignans