Dermal Tissue Essay

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Dermal Tissue Dermal tissue functions to protect the plant from injury and water loss. Dermal tissue covers the outside of the plant, except in woody shrubs and trees, which have bark. The most common cell type in dermal tissue is the epidermal cell. Generally, a thin, waxy layer called a cuticle covers the epidermal cells and protects them. Other cells in the dermal tissue are guard cells that surround the stomata, which are openings in the leaves. Gases and water enter and leave the dermal tissue through the stomata. Plant Tissue Systems Like other organisms, plant cells are grouped together into various tissues. These tissues can be simple, consisting of a single cell type, or complex, consisting of more than one cell type. Above and beyond tissues, plants also have a higher level of structure called plant tissue systems. There are three types of tissue systems: dermal tissue, vascular tissue, and ground tissue systems. Plant Tissue Systems: Dermal Tissue The dermal tissue system consists of the epidermis and the periderm. The epidermis is generally a single layer of closely packed cells. It both covers and protects the plant. It can be thought of as the plant's "skin." Depending on the part of the plant that it covers, the dermal tissue system can be specialized to a certain extent. For instance, the epidermis of a plant's leaves secretes a coating called the cuticle that helps the plant retain water. The epidermis in plant leaves and stems also contain pores called stomata. Guard cells in the epidermis regulate gas exchange between the plant and the environment by controlling the size of the stomata openings. The periderm, also called bark, replaces the epidermis in plants that undergo secondary growth. The periderm is multilayered as opposed to the single layered epidermis. It consists of cork cells (phellem), phelloderm, and phellogen (cork
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