Meristem

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/meristem

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the cellular origin?Derived from undifferentiated, totipotent or pluripotent cells
2. What is the primary growth mechanism?Apical meristems (shoot and root) responsible for elongation
3. Where are the main meristems found in a plant?The main ones are at the tips of shoots (shoot apical meristem) and roots (root apical meristem), plus side ones called lateral meristems that grow the stem’s thickness.
4. How do hormones help meristems grow?Hormones such as auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, and abscisic acid tell meristem cells when to divide, stretch, or pause, so the plant can grow and flower.

Totipotency/Pluripotency: The ability of a cell to differentiate into any type of cell or tissue.
Indeterminate Growth: Growth that is not terminated after a certain size or stage, continuing throughout the organism's life.
Organogenesis: The process of organ formation during development.
Meristem Culture: A technique using plant meristems in sterile laboratory conditions for propagation.