Question

Which component of xylem is living?
A. Vessels
B. Tracheid
C. Xylem parenchyma
D. Xylem sclerenchyma

Answer 1

These are thin-walled cells which are made up of cellulose (helps the plant to remain strong and stiff) and also these cells store food in the form of starch.

Complete answer: Complex tissues are made up of many types of cells and these tissues work together like a unit. There are two types of the complex tissues:

Xylem: Xylem is a complex tissue which comes under the permanent tissue and it helps as the conducting tissue for minerals and water from roots to the leaves and stem of the plants. There are four different kinds of elements which come under the xylem which includes: vessels, tracheids, xylem sclerenchyma and xylem parenchyma. Vessels are the long cylindrical tube-like structures which are made up of many cell membranes and these are known as vessel members. They have lignified walls with large central activity. In vessels, protoplasm is absent. Angiosperms have a characteristic feature due to the presence of vessels.
Tracheids have lignified walls with dead cells and protoplasm is absent with tapering ends.
Tracheids and vessels are considered as water transporting elements. Xylem Parenchyma are the living cells of the xylem whose cell wall is made up of cellulose and they store food in the form of starch or other substance called tannins.
So, the answer is Xylem Parenchyma. Xylem sclerenchyma are the non-living cells whose protoplasm get lost at the time of maturity.
Phloem: Phloem helps in transporting food materials from leaves to the other part of the plants. Phloem consists of phloem parenchyma, sieve tube elements, companion cells and also phloem fibres.

Thus, the correct answer is option C. i.e., Xylem Parenchyma.

Note: Primary xylem is of two types i.e. metaxylem and protoxylem. Protoxylem located at the centre and metaxylem located at the periphery of the organ in case of stem. In the case of roots, the protoxylem is located towards the periphery and metaxylem located at the centre. Protoxylem is the first form of xylem and metaxylem is later the form of Xylem. In xylem parenchyma, parenchymatous cells help in the radial conductions of the water.