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Ch. 36 - Resource Acquisition and Transport in Vascular Plants
Campbell - Campbell Biology 12th Edition
Urry12th EditionCampbell BiologyISBN: 9785794169850Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksUrry 12th EditionCh. 36 - Resource Acquisition and Transport in Vascular PlantsProblem 2
Chapter 36, Problem 2

Which structure or compartment is part of the symplast?
a. The interior of a vessel element
b. The interior of a sieve tube
c. The cell wall of a mesophyll cell
d. An extracellular air space

Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of symplast: The symplast is the network of cytoplasm interconnected by plasmodesmata, allowing direct cytoplasmic communication between plant cells.
Identify the structures involved: The symplast includes the cytoplasm of cells connected by plasmodesmata, not the cell walls or extracellular spaces.
Evaluate option a: The interior of a vessel element is part of the apoplast, not the symplast, as vessel elements are dead cells and do not have cytoplasm.
Evaluate option b: The interior of a sieve tube is part of the symplast, as sieve tubes are living cells connected by plasmodesmata, allowing cytoplasmic continuity.
Evaluate options c and d: The cell wall of a mesophyll cell and an extracellular air space are part of the apoplast, as they are outside the cytoplasm and not connected by plasmodesmata.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Symplast

The symplast refers to the interconnected network of cytoplasm in plant cells, connected by plasmodesmata. It allows for the direct flow of substances between cells without crossing the cell membrane, facilitating communication and transport within the plant. Understanding the symplast is crucial for identifying structures involved in intracellular transport.
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Plasmodesmata

Plasmodesmata are microscopic channels that traverse the cell walls of plant cells, linking the cytoplasm of adjacent cells. They play a vital role in the symplast by enabling the movement of ions, molecules, and signaling substances between cells, thus maintaining the plant's internal connectivity and coordination.
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Sieve Tube Elements

Sieve tube elements are specialized cells in the phloem of vascular plants, responsible for transporting nutrients like sugars throughout the plant. These cells are part of the symplast, as they are connected by plasmodesmata, allowing for the efficient flow of substances within the plant's vascular system, crucial for understanding nutrient distribution.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Which of the following is an adaptation that enhances the uptake of water and minerals by roots?

a. Mycorrhizae

b. Pumping through plasmodesmata

c. Active uptake by vessel elements

d. Rhythmic contractions by cells in the root cortex

Textbook Question

Movement of phloem sap from a source to a sink

a. Occurs through the apoplast of sieve-tube elements

b. Depends ultimately on the activity of proton pumps

c. Depends on tension, or negative pressure potential

d. Results mainly from diffusion

Textbook Question

Photosynthesis ceases when leaves wilt, mainly because

a. The chlorophyll in wilting leaves is degraded.

b. Accumulation of CO2 in the leaf inhibits enzymes.

c. Stomata close, preventing CO2 from entering the leaf.

d. Photolysis, the water-splitting step of photosynthesis, cannot occur when there is a water deficiency.

Textbook Question

What would enhance water uptake by a plant cell?

a. Decreasing the Ψ of the surrounding solution

b. Positive pressure on the surrounding solution

c. The loss of solutes from the cell

d. Increasing the Ψ of the cytoplasm