Plant histology is a branch of biology responsible for the analysis of plant tissues. A tissue is a set of cells with specific functions. Each organ that makes up a plant is made up of a variety of tissues. In this sense, plant histology tries to analyze everything related to the origin, morphology, structure and functions of the different cell types, as well as the extracellular elements that make them up.
According to the function of the tissues, these are classified into:
- Primary or embryonic, from which the so-called " meristematic " tissues are derived, these tissues are responsible for the growth of the plant, either in length or thickness. The cells that make up these tissues are characterized by being very small, with a regular shape, a large nucleus, they have very thin cell walls and they reproduce actively.
- Adult or permanent, in them are the tissues: fundamental, protective, conductive, manufacturing and supportive.
- Fundamental tissues: they are responsible for the nutrition of the plant and the accumulation of reserves.
- Protective fabrics: are those that make up the external part of the plants and are responsible for protecting it from external agents. This epidermal tissue covers the roots, stems and leaves, protects the aerial area of the plant from dehydration and makes possible the absorption of water and nutrients from the subsoil.
- Conduction tissues: these tissues are responsible for transporting the nutritional substances that go from the root zone to the leaves or vice versa.
- Manufacturing tissues: they are made up of a set of cells disseminated in other tissues, which produce certain substances that are considered as waste material for the plant.
- Support fabrics: its mission is to offer consistency and strength to the plant. They are tissues that structure the skeleton of the plant and make it stand upright.
Plant histology is a field of significant importance for biology since through it each of the tissues that make up a plant can be known, as well as its corresponding plant organs that make it possible for the plant to grow and develop correctly.
