Features

• Plant cells have several distinguishing features, including large central vacuoles, which store useful material and digest waste. They also have specialized pathways that facilitate communication between cells. Cell division is accomplished by means of templates known as phragmoplasts. These templates are used to build cell plates.
  
  

Parts

• Plant cells consist of six primary parts. The cell membrane is a thin layer that surrounds the cell. The cell wall, however, is a larger, more rigid layer that surrounds the cell membranes. The chloroplast is a chlorophyll-containing cell structure in which photosynthesis takes place. Chlorophyll, the notorious green substance, facilitates food production within plant cells. Cytoplasm is a jellylike substance within the cell where essential activities take place. The nucleus is the structure in the center of each cell that controls its activities and contains DNA.
  
  

Cell Types

• There are three main types of cells. These are parenchyma cells, collenchyma cells and sclerenchyma cells. Parenchyma cells are living cells with a wide array of functions including support, storage, photosynthesis and transfer. Collenchyma cells are alive at their maturity and contain only one primary wall. Sclerenchyma cells are hard and tough, and function as mechanical support.
  
  

Tissue Types

• Tissues form the root, leaves, stems and flowers of plants. There are three main types of tissue cells including xylem cells, phloem cells and epidermal cells. Xylem cells are elongated and function as conductors of water. Phloem is a specialized tissue used to conduct food. Phloem contains two cell types--sieve tubes and companion cells. Epidermal cells cover the external surface of leaves, roots and stems.
  
  

Benefits

• Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have found a mechanism within plant cells that can silence potentially harmful genes in humans. According to experts, two plant-specific RNA polymerases have the ability to work together with DNA to prevent destructive genes from being activated within the body.