# A student investigating cell division found that cells in the meristems of plant roots divide more frequently than cells in other parts of the plant. Explain why cells in meristems are able to keep dividing, and describe what happens during the cell cycle to prepare a cell for division.

> Eduqas A-Level Biology — 1.6 Cell division · Explain · 5 marks

> Meristems are regions found at the root and shoot tips of plants. Cells in meristems retain the ability to divide throughout the life of the plant, unlike most other plant cells which become specialised and lose this ability.

## Mark scheme (5 marks)

1. Meristem cells are stem cells / unspecialised cells that retain the ability to differentiate
2. Once a cell differentiates / becomes specialised it cannot divide to produce an unspecialised cell (or a cell with a different specialised function)
3. During interphase, DNA is replicated / copied
4. During interphase, the cell grows and the number of organelles increases
5. Mitosis produces two daughter cells with identical copies of DNA / identical genetic information

## Key terms

- [meristem](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/meristem)
- [cell cycle](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/cell-cycle)

## Related

- [Revision notes for Eduqas A-Level Biology](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/a-student-investigating-cell-division-found-965c9e51) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.