Plant sap

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Plant sap is the fluid transported in xylem cells or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These fluids can be derived from two different sources, intracellular and extracellular sap.

Intracellular sap[edit | edit source]

Intracellular sap is the water inside the vacuole, which is enclosed by the tonoplast (vacuole membrane). This sap contains a variety of organic and inorganic molecules including sugars, organic acids, amino acids, and salts.

Extracellular sap[edit | edit source]

Extracellular sap, also known as latex, is a sticky milky fluid found in some plants, such as poppy, dandelion, rubber tree, aloe, and banana. It contains a variety of compounds, including alkaloids, glycosides, proteins, and polysaccharides.

Functions[edit | edit source]

Plant sap serves several functions in the plant. It is involved in nutrient transport, waste removal, and water balance. It also plays a role in plant defense against herbivores and pathogens.

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


Plant sap Resources

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD