What is the Difference Between Mesophyll and Bundle Sheath Cells?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Mesophyll and bundle sheath cells are two types of photosynthetic cells found in C4 plants. They play different roles in the process of photosynthesis and have distinct features:
Mesophyll Cells:
- Carry out the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.
- Located in the middle of the leaf, surrounding the bundle sheath cells.
- Have thin cell walls and randomly arranged chloroplasts.
- Possess well-developed chloroplasts that are distributed along cell walls.
Bundle Sheath Cells:
- Carry out the light-independent (Calvin cycle) reactions of photosynthesis.
- Surround leaf veins or vascular bundles of C4 plants.
- Have thick cell walls and centrifugally arranged chloroplasts.
- Contain starch granules and unstacked thylakoid membranes.
- In C4 plants, bundle sheath cells play a crucial role in photosynthesis, with the Rubisco enzyme in these cells fixing CO2 and producing sugars.
In summary, mesophyll cells are involved in the initial steps of carbon fixation, while bundle sheath cells are involved in the Calvin cycle, playing a crucial role in photosynthesis. Both cell types have differentiated cellular structures and functions, and they are in direct contact with each other.
Comparative Table: Mesophyll vs Bundle Sheath Cells
Mesophyll and bundle sheath cells are found in C4 plant leaves and play different roles in the process of photosynthesis. Here is a comparison of their differences:
Feature | Mesophyll Cells | Bundle Sheath Cells |
---|---|---|
Cell Wall Thickness | Thin | Thick |
Chloroplast Arrangement | Random | Centrifugal |
Thylakoid Membranes | Stacked | Unstacked |
Starch Granules | None or little | Large |
Function | Light-dependent reactions | Light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle) |
CO2 Fixation | Initial steps (C4 and C3 plants) | bundle sheath cells do not fix CO2 (C3 plants) or fix CO2 and produce sugars (C4 plants) |
Both mesophyll and bundle sheath cells are living plant cells that are differentiated and have chloroplasts and chlorophylls. They are found in C4 plant leaves and are in direct contact with each other.
- Collenchyma vs Chlorenchyma
- Parenchyma vs Mesenchymal Cells
- Collenchyma vs Sclerenchyma
- Endothelium vs Mesothelium
- Chlorenchyma vs Aerenchyma
- Parenchyma vs Sclerenchyma
- Chlorophyll vs Chloroplast
- Palisade Parenchyma vs Spongy Parenchyma
- Animal Cell vs Plant Cell
- Stomata vs Guard Cells
- Mesoderm vs Mesenchyme
- Tracheids vs Vessels
- Epithelial vs Mesenchymal Cells
- Plant vs Animal Cells
- Eudicots vs Monocots
- Hydrophytes Mesophytes vs Xerophytes
- Thylakoid vs Stroma
- Mucilaginous Sheath vs Gelatinous Sheath
- Cell Membrane vs Cytoplasm