Complex tissues

Complex tissues: Group of different type of cells performing common

task together are named as complex tissues.
Complex tissues are of two types:
(a) Xylem (b) Phloem

(a) Xylem: This is the tissue that transports water and nutrients from
root to upper parts of plant. It is composed of four types of cells i.e.,
tracheid, vessel, xylem parenchyma and xylem sclerenchyma (fibre).

1.Trachieds are long elongated cells with tapered ending. Trachied cells
are dead. Trachied transports water through pits.

2. Vessel is a pipe like structure. Vessels are dead and have lignified
thick cell wall. Upper and lower portion of cell wall is absent.

3. Parenchymas are living cells. They store food and nutrients.

4. Sclerenchymas (fibres) are dead cells. They provide mechanical

support to plant.

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(b) Phloem: Phloem is the tissue that transports food from site of
photosynthesis to different parts of plants.
It is composed of four types of cell i.e. sieve cells, companion cells,
phloem parenchyma, phloem fibre or blast fibre. Al types of cells are
live except phoem fibres.

1. Sieve cells are elongated and have thin cell wall. They have
cytoplasm but no nucleus and other organelles. These cells are
responsible for transportation of food and nutrients.
2. Companion cells have cytoplasm, nucleus and other organelles.
They perform the tasks required for sieve cells for living.
3. Phloem parenchyma store food.
4. Phloem fibres have thick cell wall and they provide mechanical
support to plant.

Q Differentiate between xylem and phloem

Answer: Xylem
1.It conducts water and Minerals from Roots to aerial parts of the plant.
2. It has 4 cells vessels, tracheids, xylem parenchyma and xylem fibres
3. It provides mechanical strength to the plant.
Phloem
1. It translocates prepared food from leaves to storage organs and growing parts of the
plant body.
2. It has 4 cells sieve tubes, companion cells, phloem parenchyma, phloem fibres.
3. It does not provide mechanical strength to the plant.

TRANSPORT IN XYLEM AND PHLOEM

Xylem transports water from the roots to the rest of the plant's body above
ground and can only move up, whereas phloem transports organic compounds
both up and down the plant. This process of the xylem and phloem working

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together to move organic compounds and other necessities in the stem, leaves,
and roots of plants is called translocation. 

Sour
ces & Sinks--- In science, sources are areas where sugars and amino acids are
loaded into phloem tubes, and sinks are known as areas where sugars and
amino acids from the sources are unloaded and used. Sources include leaves
and stems, and sinks include seeds, fruits, roots, and leaves too. Organic
compound, mostly sucrose, are transported into the phloem in a process called
phloem loading. This process varies by plant.  In some plants organic compounds

travel across cell walls until they reach the sucrose transport protein where it is
moved into the phloem (apoplast route).  Another method of phloem loading is
the movement of sucrose on connection in between cells called plasmodesmata
(symplast route).

One thing that separates phloem tissue from xylem tissue is that phloem has
a two-way flow of organic compounds and water, while xylem mainly has a one-
way flow. Phloem tissue brings carbohydrates to the stems, leaves, and the
roots, rather than just the stems and leaves from the roots.