Britannica Sources used in this answer

How are meristematic cells different from mature plant cells?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

fern life cycle — Plant development The life cycle of the fern. (1) Clusters (sori) of sporangia (spore cases) grow on the undersurface of mature fern leaves. (2) Released from its spore case, the haploid spore is carried to the ground, where it germinates into a tiny, usually heart-shaped, gametophyte (gamete-producing structure), anchored to the ground by rhizoids (rootlike projections). (3) Under moist conditions, mature sperm are released from the antheridia and swim to the egg-producing archegonia that have formed on the gametophyte's lower surface. (4) When fertilization occurs, a zygote forms and develops into an embryo within the archegonium. (5) The embryo eventually grows larger than the gametophyte and becomes a sporophyte.

Meristematic cells and mature plant cells differ primarily in their capacity for division, structural composition, and functional specialization.

Meristematic Cells

Found in regions of active growth such as root and shoot tips, meristematic cells are characterized by their ability to undergo continuous mitosis. These cells are typically small, nearly spherical, and densely packed with cytoplasm and organelles. Notably, they possess few or no vacuoles, which are the large, fluid-filled sacs common in mature cells. Their primary role is to serve as a source of new cells that eventually differentiate into the various tissues of the plant body.213

Mature Plant Cells

In contrast, mature plant cells have undergone cell differentiation, a process typically involving specialization and the loss of the capacity for further division. As cells mature, they often undergo significant structural changes, such as:4
* Expansion: Cells assume specific shapes and sizes to perform specialized functions.43
* Vacuolization: Mature cells usually contain large, prominent vacuoles.23
* Wall Modification: Many mature cells develop thickened walls through the accretion of materials like lignin, cutin, or suberin to provide mechanical support or protection.43
* Specialization: Cells become part of specific tissues, such as conductive xylem and phloem or protective epidermis, and may even undergo programmed cell death to fulfill their final function.243