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Related Concept Videos

Xylem and Transpiration-driven Transport of Resources02:03

Xylem and Transpiration-driven Transport of Resources

23.3K
The xylem of vascular plants distributes water and dissolved minerals that are taken up by the roots to the rest of the plant. The cells that transport xylem sap are dead upon maturity, and the movement of xylem sap is a passive process.
23.3K
Water and Mineral Acquisition02:34

Water and Mineral Acquisition

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Specialized tissues in plant roots have evolved to capture water, minerals, and some ions from the soil. Roots exhibit a variety of branching patterns that facilitate this process. The outermost root cells have specialized structures called root hairs that increase the root surface, thus increasing soil contact. Water can passively cross into roots, as the concentration of water in the soil is higher than that of the root tissue. Minerals, in contrast, are actively transported into root cells.
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The Apoplast and Symplast01:46

The Apoplast and Symplast

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Plant growth depends on its ability to take up water and dissolved minerals from the soil. The root system of every plant is equipped with the necessary tissues to facilitate the entry of water and solutes. The plant tissues involved in the transport of water and minerals have two major compartments - the apoplast and the symplast. The apoplast includes everything outside the plasma membrane of living cells and consists of cell walls, extracellular spaces, xylem, phloem, and tracheids. The...
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Short-distance Transport of Resources02:12

Short-distance Transport of Resources

14.5K
Short-distance transport refers to transport that occurs over a distance of just 2-3 cells, crossing the plasma membrane in the process. Small uncharged molecules, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water, can diffuse across the plasma membrane on their own. In contrast, ions and larger molecules require the assistance of transport proteins due to their charge or size. Transport across membranes also occurs within individual cells, playing a variety of essential roles for the plant as a whole.
14.5K
Tonicity in Plants01:20

Tonicity in Plants

25.5K
Plant cells maintain appropriate osmotic balance in extreme conditions. For instance, plants in dry environments store water in vacuoles, limit the opening of their stoma, and have thick, waxy cuticles to prevent unnecessary water loss. Some species of plants that live in salty environments store salt in their roots. As a result, water osmosis occurs in the root from the surrounding soil.
Tonicity
Tonicity describes the capacity of a cell to lose or gain water depending on the solute...
25.5K
Tonicity in Plants00:53

Tonicity in Plants

54.0K
Tonicity describes the capacity of a cell to lose or gain water. It depends on the quantity of solute that does not penetrate the membrane. Tonicity delimits the magnitude and direction of osmosis and results in three possible scenarios that alter the volume of a cell: hypertonicity, hypotonicity, and isotonicity. Due to differences in structure and physiology, tonicity of plant cells is different from that of animal cells in some scenarios.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 2, 2026

Xylem Water Distribution in Woody Plants Visualized with a Cryo-scanning Electron Microscope
10:47

Xylem Water Distribution in Woody Plants Visualized with a Cryo-scanning Electron Microscope

Published on: June 20, 2019

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Water filtration using plant xylem.

Michael S H Boutilier1, Jongho Lee1, Valerie Chambers1

  • 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.

Plos One
|March 4, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Plant xylem effectively filters bacteria from water using simple pressure-driven filtration. This inexpensive, biodegradable material offers a sustainable solution for safe drinking water in resource-limited areas.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Materials Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Waterborne diseases pose a significant global health challenge.
  • Effective point-of-use water purification is crucial for disease reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of plant xylem as a natural filtration material.
  • To assess xylem's efficacy in removing bacterial contaminants from water.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized pressure-driven filtration with coniferous tree sapwood (xylem).
  • Quantified filtration rates and bacterial removal efficiency.

Main Results:

  • Plant xylem demonstrated effective removal of bacteria from water.
  • A small volume (3 cm³) of sapwood can filter several liters daily.

Conclusions:

  • Plant xylem is a viable, low-cost, and sustainable material for water purification.
  • Xylem-based filtration offers a promising solution for safe drinking water in developing countries and resource-limited settings.