Apoplast - An Overview, Types

Water also plays a major role in transpiration and the transportation of nutrients, water and minerals from roots to other parts of the plants. Root absorbs the water with the help of root hair present on the root of the plant. There are different means of transportation and Apoplastic is one of them. The apoplast is an important topic in Biology and they carry a weightage of 2-3% in NEET and 4-5% in CBSE and other Paramedical Exams.

Three types of water transport pathways in plants

Plants also require the presence of water to survive just as animals and mammals need. Plants require water to complete their daily basis of biological processes. Water plays a very important role in processes such as germination, and photosynthesis which is the making of food in all the plants. Three major water means of transport are discussed below:

1. Apoplastic pathway:

It is defined as the pathway in which the movement of water occurs through the cell wall and other intercellular spaces that are present in the cell. The apoplast, also known as the cell wall of the plant is located on the outer side of the cell.

2. Symplastic pathway:

This is defined as the transfer of water from one cell to another cell with the help of some connections that are called plasmodesmata. The inner side of the plasma membrane consists of symplast.

3. Transmembrane pathway:

As the name shows it is defined as a combination of both the Apoplast and Symplast pathways and forms a transmembrane pathway. This is the pathway that helps in the movement of water across cells and cell walls.

Also Read

• Transport In Plants

• Plant Water Relations

• Water Potential and Its Components

• Mineral Nutrition

Types of xylem

Different types of xylem are discussed below in the table:

Materials needed by plants during the Apoplast Pathway

Materials required during the Apoplast Pathway are discussed below in the table:

Transport of Water and Ions through the Apoplast Pathway

The basic transportation of water and ions through the apoplast path is discussed below in the table:

Movement of water by Apoplast pathway from soil to root hair

Many epidermal cells that are present in the root tip are modified to form the root hairs. These root hairs remain extended between the soil particles. These root hairs help in the absorption of water from the soil and they are the extended particle and delicate portion. Major steps are discussed below:

• These root hairs usually increase the surface area for the absorption of water. Water moves in the apoplast pathway with the help of the down of the water potential gradient.

• The water potential gradient is mainly set up by the mineral ions and some of the organic material that is present in the soil and the root.

• The concentration of the inorganic ions is found to be higher in the root hairs than in the soil.

• Now the water and mineral ions are moved with the help of an apoplastic pathway. This is the easiest pathway of water movement.

Types of Questions Asked from Apoplast Pathway

During exam preparation, different types of questions about the Apoplast Pathway are asked. The table below contains the different patterns of questions asked in different exams.

Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Apoplast Pathway

It takes effort to remember everything in a single go. We made the entire problem easy. Some of the tricks regarding Apoplast Pathway are given below which you can use to memorise the important points.

Apoplast Pathway Overview

"WINS: Water, Ions, Nutrients, Support"

• W: Water - Primarily absorbed by root hairs and transported through the apoplast pathway to various plant parts via the xylem.

• I: Ions - Inorganic ions (e.g., potassium, calcium) are absorbed from the soil and travel through the apoplast to support cellular functions.

• N: Nutrients - Organic nutrients transported via the phloem; essential for plant growth and development.

• S: Support - Xylem provides structural support while facilitating the movement of water.

Key Components of the Apoplast Pathway

"XLA: Xylem, Lignin, Apoplast"

• X: Xylem

• L: Lignin

• A: Apoplast

Functions of Xylem in Apoplast Pathway

"STW: Support, Transport, Water"

• S: Support

• T: Transport

• W: Water Storage

Comparison with Symplast Pathway

"CSD: Cell, Symplast, Diffusion"

• C: Cell Membranes - Unlike the apoplast, the symplast pathway involves movement through cell membranes and cytoplasm.

• S: Symplastic Transport - Refers to the movement of water and solutes through living plant cells, requiring membrane transport.

• D: Diffusion - The apoplast pathway relies on passive diffusion, allowing for rapid transport.

Also Read