[Campbell Biology P.836] Which of the following statements accurately describes components o... | Practice Question

Which of the following statements accurately describes components of the apoplast and symplast in plant tissues?

  • A: The apoplast consists of the entire mass of cytosol of all living cells, while the symplast includes cell walls and extracellular spaces.
  • B: The symplast includes plasmodesmata and the cytosol of living cells, whereas the apoplast comprises cell walls and the interior of dead cells like vessel elements.
  • C: Both the apoplast and symplast are entirely made up of living cells and their contents.
  • D: Plasmodesmata are part of the apoplast, facilitating transport outside the plasma membrane.

Explanation

The apoplast consists of everything external to the plasma membranes of living cells, including cell walls, extracellular spaces, and the interior of dead cells such as vessel elements and tracheids. The symplast consists of the entire mass of cytosol of all the living cells in a plant, as well as the plasmodesmata, the cytoplasmic channels that interconnect them.