Plants have leaves which contain guard cells and palisade cells. Explain how each of these kinds of cell assists photosynthesis. Guard cells

Guard cells and palisade cells play crucial roles in the process of photosynthesis in plants.

1. Guard Cells: Guard cells are specialized cells in the epidermis of leaves, stems and other organs that are used to control gas exchange. They are produced in pairs with a gap between them that forms a stomatal pore. The primary function of the guard cells is to control the opening and closing of the stomata, thus regulating the exchange of gases, particularly carbon dioxide and oxygen, between the outside air and the interior of the leaf. During the day, guard cells take in water by osmosis and become turgid, causing the stomata to open. This allows carbon dioxide to enter the leaf for photosynthesis. At night, when photosynthesis is not happening, guard cells lose water and become flaccid, causing the stomata to close and prevent water loss.

2. Palisade Cells: Palisade cells are a type of leaf tissues and can be found in the mesophyll in leaves directly below the epidermis. These cells are elongated and packed with many chloroplasts. Palisade cells are the site where most of the photosynthesis process in the plant occurs. They contain a large number of chloroplasts, which are necessary for photosynthesis, where light energy is converted into glucose. These cells absorb a major portion of the light energy used by the leaf due to their location on the upper side of the leaf.

In summary, guard cells regulate the gas exchange necessary for photosynthesis, while palisade cells are where the majority of photosynthesis occurs.