BRAINCAKEPlasmodesmata
Plasmodesmata (singular: plasmodesma) are very fine channels that pass through the cell walls of neighbouring plant cells, linking their cytoplasm. There can be thousands on a single cell.
Structure
Each plasmodesma is lined by the cell surface membrane, which is continuous from one cell to the next, so the cytoplasm of the two cells is joined. Running through the centre is a narrow tube of endoplasmic reticulum called the desmotubule. Plasmodesmata are about 20 to 50 nm wide, so they are only visible with an electron microscope. They are often grouped in thin areas of the wall called pits.
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Key terms in this lesson
- apoplast pathway
- The route for water movement through a plant via the cell walls and intercellular spaces, without crossing any cell membrane.
More in Eukaryotic Cells
- Golgi Apparatus
- Lysosomes
- Plant Cells
- Plant Cell Walls
- Permanent Vacuole
- Chloroplasts
- Organisation of Cells
- Epithelial Cells
All 30 lessons in Eukaryotic Cells · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics