In plants, the meristematic tissues are composed of undifferentiated cells whose primary role is to promote plant development. Permanent tissue is a distinct kind of tissue that serves a single purpose throughout an individual’s life.
Some of these functions include conducting, strengthening the plant’s mechanical structure, or even facilitating photosynthesis. Differentiated and generated from meristematic tissue origination.
To understand Meristematic and Permanent Tissue differences, you need to understand the two separately first.
Difference Between Meristematic And Permanent Tissue
The plant body has expanded in size and complexity as a result of evolution. In multicellular organisms, there is a division of labour and each cell is allocated a specific task because of its complexity. Cells that have a similar function and origin are collectively referred to as “tissue”.
Organs in plants are made up of a group of tissues. Most multicellular plants have tissue that performs comparable or distinct tasks.
However, this is not always the case. Creating organ systems may help enhance the body’s structure and reduce individual cells’ burden.
As a result, they are increasing the body’s overall efficiency. Meristematic and Permanent tissues are the two basic categories of plant tissue depending on their ability to divide.
Meristematic Growth Tissues
Living cells that are capable of self-renewal and division make up meristematic tissue. Plants can only grow in a limited number of locations. Meristematic zones (e.g., root tip, shoot tip, and cambium) are defined by the presence of meristematic tissues.
Because of their propensity to divide, these tissues are also known as growth tissues, contributing to the plant’s length and thickness.
Depending on where the meristematic tissue is located in the plant body, it may be further subdivided into three categories: Apical, lateral and intercalary meristems make up the apical meristem.
Meristems that originate from this central meristem are responsible for increasing a plant’s length. Cambium aids in the growth of the stem and root by increasing their thickness or circumference body. The intercalary meristem, which adds primary tissues, is responsible for longitudinal development.
Permanent Tissues
To begin with, the meristematic tissues are transformed into permanent tissues, which are then further differentiated into other tissues. These tissues may temporarily or permanently lose their ability to divide. During wound healing and secondary growth, if the cells are alive, they may restore their capacity to divide.
Based on origin, these tissues are classified into primary and secondary permanent tissues. According to their structure and functions, they may be classified into three groups.
All three types of tissues are found in the body. The term “simple tissue” refers to a collection of cells that have a common purpose.
These include parenchyma, sclerenchyma, and collenchymas. They all have an exact definition, yet they’re all made up of distinct kinds of cells. Phloem and xylem are examples of vascular tissues.
Secretory tissue or particular tissue is composed of cells capable of producing certain compounds (enzymes, hormones etc.).
Differences between Meristematic and Permanent Tissues:
Meristematic and Permanent Tissue Differences are shown in the table below.
| Meristematic Tissue | Permanent Tissue |
| Meristematic tissue is responsible for the development of plants since it splits over and over again. | Protective, conductive, and supporting tissue is the primary role of permanent tissue cells, which have lost the capacity to increase. |
| There are no intercellular gaps in meristematic tissue cells. | Permanent tissue is composed of both differentiated and undifferentiated cells. ‘ There are intervals between cells. |
| There is a fast proliferation of meristematic tissue. | Permanent tissue’s differentiated cells are no longer able to reproduce. |
| There is just one sort of cell in this fundamental tissue. | Permanent tissue is a combination of simple and complex tissue. |
| Meristematic tissue is always home to cells. | Dead or live cells might be found in permanent tissue. |
| This kind of tissue cell has large nuclei and thick cytoplasm. | The cytoplasm and nucleus of nonliving cells of permanent tissue are absent. |
| Metabolic activity in the cells of embryonic tissue is relatively high. | In permanent tissue, there is almost no metabolic activity in the cells. |
| There are very few cell walls in meristematic tissue. | Permanent tissue cells may have thick or thin cell walls. |
| Food reserves don’t exist in meristematic tissue. | Starch is stored as a kind of energy in specific cells of permanent tissue. |
| Specific components of the plant, such as the roots and shoots of Apex, are affected. | The plant’s whole body is made up of these indestructible tissue cells. |
| Plants develop from tissue cells. | Photosynthesis, conduction, and mechanical support are all performed by tissue cells. |
| Basic Meristems include the Apical and Intercalary Meristems and Lateral Meristems. | Permanent tissues include parenchyma, collenchyma, sclerenchyma, xylem, phloem, and secretory tissues. |
Summary of Differences
- The cells may divide several times in meristematic tissue, but this is not possible in permanent tissue.
- Permanent tissue cells arise from meristematic tissue, which in turn derives from the stem cells.
- Meristematic tissue is composed of undifferentiated cells, whereas permanent tissue is composed of meristematic cells that have undergone differentiation.
- Small and comparable in form, the cells of meristematic tissue have thin cellulose cell walls. Permanent tissue cells are larger and have a particular shape and size, making them easier to identify. Permanent tissue may have thin or thick cell walls.
- There are no intercellular gaps in meristematic tissues because the cells are tightly packed together. Still, the cells might be more loosely packed in permanent tissues, and there are typically intercellular spaces between them.
- A plant’s meristematic tissues are limited to certain parts of the plant body, unlike its permanent tissues.
- Meristematic tissue cells are usually devoid of vacuoles. Vacuoles are prominent in the cells of permanent tissues.
- Metabolism rates in meristematic tissue cells are very high in contrast to those seen in permanent tissue cells.
- In permanent tissues, crystals and other inorganic inclusions are more common than in meristematic tissue.
- Meristematic tissue cells contain a rich cytoplasm and a big nucleolus, while the nuclei of permanent tissue cells are tiny.
- The meristematic tissue’s primary role is to aid with growth. Permanent tissue serves a variety of functions, including protection, photosynthesis, conduction, and support.
- Both meristematic and permanent tissue include alive cells, but only meristematic tissue contains living cells.
Conclusion
Tissues are collections of cells that work together to accomplish a single task. Meristematic and Permanent Tissue are the two basic categories of tissue in plants, based on the ability of cells to divide.
