Built to divide
The six features of meristematic cells.
A cell that never stops dividing
Cells at a root tip divide again and again, quickly. Most other plant cells, like those in a leaf, hardly divide.
What do you think a cell that divides all the time looks like inside?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Meristematic cells are small and tightly packed, with thin walls, a large prominent nucleus, dense cytoplasm with many organelles and generally no vacuoles, features that allow continuous and rapid cell division.
A cell that never stops dividing
Cells at a root tip divide again and again, quickly. Most other plant cells, like those in a leaf, hardly divide.
What do you think a cell that divides all the time looks like inside?
- Packed with cytoplasm and a big nucleus, no big water bag
- A huge water bag pushing everything aside
- Thick walls with tiny contents
Build a meristematic cell
Start with an ordinary plant cell. Add the features one by one with the + button.
Features of meristematic cells
The cells of meristematic tissue are small, have thin cell walls, a large and prominent nucleus and dense cytoplasm with many organelles. Vacuoles are generally absent and the cells are tightly packed with little or no intercellular space. These features allow continuous and rapid cell division.
Think about it: NCERT asks why vacuoles are absent. A large vacuole is a big bag of cell sap. It would take up the room that the nucleus, cytoplasm and organelles need for dividing.
Notes
Meristematic cells are small, thin-walled, with a large nucleus, dense cytoplasm, no vacuoles and tight packing. These features allow rapid, continuous division.
Check yourself
Which cell is meristematic?
Why do these features suit a meristematic cell?
Meristematic cells are tightly packed. This means they have…
- Large, thick wall, tiny nucleus, big vacuole. This is an ordinary mature cell.
- Large, watery cytoplasm, one huge vacuole. Vacuoles are generally absent in meristematic cells.
- Small, thin wall, big nucleus, dense cytoplasm, no vacuole — correct. Yes. This is the cell built for dividing.
- They allow continuous and rapid cell division — correct. Yes.
- They make the cell store a lot of food. Storing food is the job of other cells.
- They make the cell hard and dead. Meristematic cells are living and dividing.
- large air spaces between them. That is the opposite.
- little or no intercellular space — correct. Yes.
- thick walls with gaps in the corners. Meristematic cells have thin walls.