Plant cells are the fundamental structural and functional units of plants, eukaryotic cells distinguished from animal cells by several specialized features. They are enclosed by a rigid cell wall of cellulose that provides shape, mechanical support, and protection; they contain chloroplasts, the organelles in which …
Plant cells are the fundamental structural and functional units of plants, eukaryotic cells distinguished from animal cells by several specialized features. They are enclosed by a rigid cell wall of cellulose that provides shape, mechanical support, and protection; they contain chloroplasts, the organelles in which photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy; and they possess a large central vacuole that maintains turgor pressure and stores water, ions, and metabolites. Like other eukaryotic cells they hold a nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria, and membrane-bound compartments, and they carry out respiration, growth, and division. These properties allow plant cells to perform the processes underlying plant growth, development, and the response to environmental stress. Research in this area examines the effects of drought and salt stress on cereal crop plants through proteomic and physiological study, addressing how plant cells respond to abiotic stress, and investigates interventions for precision in plant genetics and breeding. Studies of the bioremoval of zinc by the tomato plant illustrate the capacity of plant cells to take up and accumulate metals, while work on the growth of plant stem cells in callus culture and on heat-shock-protein gene evolution touches on cellular growth, tissue culture, and molecular function. Together these threads connect the structure and physiology of plant cells to stress tolerance, genetic improvement, and biotechnological application.
9 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 9 articles above have been cited 30 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Plant Cells, linking to each citing work.