Meristeist

Meristeist refers to actively dividing plant cells responsible for growth. These cells are typically undifferentiated or incompletely differentiated and are found in specific regions of the plant, such as root tips, shoot tips, and in the vascular cambium. The process of cell division in meristematic tissue is known as mitosis, which leads to an increase in cell number and consequently, the growth of the plant body. Meristematic cells are characterized by their small size, thin cell walls, dense cytoplasm, and large, prominent nuclei. They often lack large vacuoles, which are characteristic of mature plant cells. The activity of meristeist allows plants to grow in length (primary growth) and in girth (secondary growth). Primary meristems, located at the apical meristems of roots and shoots, are responsible for the elongation of plant organs. Secondary meristems, like the vascular cambium and cork cambium, contribute to the thickening of stems and roots in woody plants. The organized division and differentiation of meristematic cells result in the formation of various plant tissues and organs, including leaves, stems, roots, and flowers.