meristem Hear it!

meristem Definition

meri·stem (mer′ə stem′)

noun

undifferentiated plant tissue, as the growing tips of roots and stems, the cambium, etc., consisting of actively growing and dividing cells that give rise to various permanent tissues

Etymology: < Gr meristos, divided < merizein, to divide < meros, a part (see merit) + -ēm(a), n. suffix

meristem Related Forms
mer′i·stemat′·ic (-stə mat′ik) adjective mer′i·stemat′i·cally adverb
meristem Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • call: Specialized groups of cells, called meristems, retain the ability to generate new cells throughout the lifetime of the plant.
  • develop: The combined genetic and visualization tools are providing powerful new methods for dissecting cell-cell interactions within the developing root meristem.

Adjective modifier

  • apical: The apical meristem is an area of a plant where cell division takes place at a rapid rate.

Modifies a noun

  • tip: The meristem tip is usually a denser white and is more rounded than the cut end.
  • activity: These studies will be an important first step in strategies aimed at controlling tree growth and form by altering meristem activity.
  • mutant: These have generated thousands of new lines which provide a rich source of uncharacterized root meristem mutants with cyan and green fluorescent protein markers.
  • culture: Meristem tip culture eliminates most viruses, fungi and bacteria, but not necessarily endophytes.

Noun used with modifier

  • root: The main part of this image shows a root tip meristem cell from pea root.
  • plant: Cells within a plant meristem form a complex system, and clearly possess self-organising properties.
  • shoot: Outline content: The shoot meristem; molecular control of vegetative growth and phase change.