How do meristems allow plants to keep growing throughout life?

Meristems allow plants to grow throughout their lives because they contain regions of undifferentiated, actively dividing cells that function as a permanent source of new growth. Unlike most animals, which have determinate growth, plants possess these specialized tissues that enable continuous development.123

The process relies on initials, which are cells that remain permanently in the meristem to maintain a constant supply of new cells. When an initial cell undergoes mitosis, one daughter cell stays in the meristem to continue the cycle, while the other is displaced into the plant body to differentiate into specialized tissues.124

Meristems are categorized by their function and location:
* Apical meristems: Located at the tips of roots and shoots, these are responsible for primary growth, which extends the length of the plant.13
* Lateral meristems: These include the vascular cambium and cork cambium, which facilitate secondary growth, increasing the girth and thickness of stems and roots.12
* Intercalary meristems: Found in regions like internodes, these contribute to the extension of stems in certain plants, such as grasses.14