Some plant cells look just like tiny bones! Osteosclereids stand in rows inside a seed's coat and help keep the seed safe.
Drag to turn it around. Use the buttons to zoom in and try things from the lessons.
The 3D model can't load right now. Check your internet connection, or try a different web browser.
Osteosclereids (say it: OSS-tee-oh-SKLAIR-ee-ids) are a kind of sclereid, a plant cell with a very thick, hard wall. "Osteo" means bone. These cells have a thin middle and fat, knobby ends, just like a dog bone.
You can find them in the seed coat of beans and peas. They stand side by side in a layer, just under a layer of long, rod-shaped cells.
Press Cut it open on the 3D model to see the thick wall and the tiny empty space inside each cell.
When an osteosclereid is finished growing, it dies. Its hard wall stays behind, like an empty shell.
The bone-shaped cells work like little pillars. Their fat ends touch, and there are small air gaps in between. This makes the seed coat strong but light. A tough seed coat helps protect the baby plant inside the seed until it is time to sprout.
A dry bean is so hard you can't squish it with your fingers. Thick-walled cells like these help make it that tough!