Meristem Tissue (AQA GCSE Combined Science: Synergy: Life & Environmental Sciences): Revision Note

Plant Meristems

• Plant growth occurs in regions known as meristems which are found at the growing tips of shoots and roots

  • The cells in these regions are known as meristem cells

• Meristem cells are undifferentiated; they actively divide by mitosis to produce new plant tissue

• The type of plant cell formed depends on the position of the cell in the plant

Stem Cells in Plants

• Unlike in animals, plant stem cells can be obtained easily, and without ethical objection, from meristems. They can then be used to produce clones of plants quickly and economically

  • Plant clones can be produced in weeks at a relatively low cost for their potential value

• Rare species at risk of extinction as a result of human activity can be cloned to protect them and maintain biodiversity

  • The plants produced are clones, so although numbers increase, genetic diversity within clones is low

  • Cloning rare plants gives scientists more time to study them to see if they can produce any compounds of interest

• Crop plants with special features such as disease or pest resistance can be cloned to produce large numbers of identical plants for farmers

  • This reduces the need to use chemicals such as pesticides, which has environmental benefits