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A companion cell is a living cell found in vascular plants that is closely associated with sieve tube elements in the phloem. These cells are produced from the same mother cell as the sieve element and share a close origin and position. Companion cells are essential for the function of sieve elements, which are responsible for transporting sugars from the leaves to other parts of the plant. While sieve elements lack a nucleus, companion cells possess one and carry out vital cellular functions for their adjacent sieve elements. They typically contain more mitochondria and ribosomes than other parenchyma cells. Companion cells are crucial for the transport of food throughout the plant and are believed to die when the sieve elements they support break down.123

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  1. companion cell
  2. sieve element
  3. phloem

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