noun
- Microscopic channels that connect the cytoplasm of adjacent plant cells, allowing transport of molecules and communication between cells.
Usage: plural form; singular is plasmodesma; biology/botany term; also called plasmodesmata or plasmodesmata
Examples
- Plasmodesmata enable plants to transport sugars and other nutrients between neighboring cells.
- The plasmodesmata in plant tissues function similarly to gap junctions in animal cells.
- Water and dissolved minerals move through plasmodesmata to reach all parts of the plant.
- Scientists study plasmodesmata to understand how plants regulate cell-to-cell communication.
- Each plasmodesma is lined with a membrane called the desmotubule that controls molecular passage.