What is the Difference Between Apoplast and Symplast?

Apoplast and symplast are two separate pathways in plants that initiate the passage of water and ions from root hair to the root cortex and then to the xylem elements. The main differences between apoplast and symplast are:

• Parts: Apoplast consists of intercellular spaces and cell walls, while symplast consists of protoplasm, including the cytoplasm of cells interconnected with plasmodesmata.
• Living and Nonliving parts: Apoplast is made up of non-living parts, such as cell walls and intercellular spaces, while symplast is made up of living parts, such as cell cytoplasm and plasmodesmata.
• Movement of water: In the apoplast pathway, water moves by diffusion through the cell walls and intercellular spaces. In the symplast pathway, water moves by osmosis within the cytoplasm of cells and through plasmodesmata.
• Resistance to water movement: There is less resistance to the movement of water in the apoplast, while there is more resistance in the symplast.
• Flow of water: Water flow is fast in the apoplast, while it is slower in the symplast.

In summary, the apoplast pathway involves water movement through non-living parts, such as cell walls and intercellular spaces, while the symplast pathway involves water movement through living parts, such as cell cytoplasm and plasmodesmata. The apoplast pathway is faster and has less resistance than the symplast pathway.

Comparative Table: Apoplast vs Symplast

Here is a table highlighting the differences between the apoplast and symplast pathways in plants:

The apoplast pathway involves the transport of water through intercellular spaces and cell walls, while the symplast pathway involves the transport of water through plasmodesmata connections and cytoplasmic streaming within the plant's protoplasm. The apoplast is composed of non-living parts of the plant, such as cell walls and intracellular spaces, whereas the symplast is composed of living parts of the plant, including protoplasm and plasmodesmata connections.