noun
- Microscopic channels that connect the cytoplasm of adjacent plant cells, allowing transport of molecules and communication between cells.
Usage: plural of plasmodesma; biology/botany term; also called plasmodesmata in some contexts
Examples
- Plasmodesmata enable plants to transport sugars and other nutrients between neighboring cells.
- The structure of plasmodesmata allows for cell-to-cell communication in plant tissues.
- Water and small molecules can move through plasmodesmata without crossing the cell membrane.
- Scientists study plasmodesmata to understand how plants regulate growth and respond to stress.
- Plasmodesmata are lined with a membrane called the desmotubule that helps control molecular transport.