One of the major differences between plants and animals is t

One of the major differences between plants and animals is the former’s ability to grow throughout its life time. Read the following article about stem cells in plants: Tiny molecules preserve stem cells:(https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130122101445.htm) Research shows what makes constant plant growth possible, and then answer the questions that follow.(USE YOUR OWN WORDS)

(1) What are plant stem cells and where are they located in a plant?

(2) Plants exhibit indeterminate growth. How does this type of growth differ from the type of growth observed in animals? (The answer to this question is not given in the article. See your textbook for the answer.)

(3) What is a micro-RNA? (See Chapter 18.3, p. 374, if you would like to know more about micro-RNAs.) What is the role of the “stem cell preserver” micro-RNA the investigators found in Arabidopsis?

(4) What features (structural or otherwise) of the micro-RNA do you think were important for its selection by nature as the stem cell preserver?

Please use your own words!

Solution

1. Plant stem cells are located in meristem. They are undifferentiated cells and acts as origin of plant vitality. They serve as precursor cells to form various other cells, tissues and organs .

2. Determinate growth is the type of growth in which growth stops after a certain period when a predetermined genetic structure has been formed. Whereas in case of indeterminate growth, growth continues.