Peripheral Root Cap Cells (Root Slime Makers)

The outside of the root cap

The tip of every growing root wears a root cap, a bit like a thimble on a finger. The cells on the outside of the cap are the peripheral root cap cells.

They are the very first cells to touch the soil as the root grows. They get rubbed and scraped, so they wear off and fall away. New cap cells are made on the inside to replace them.

Making root slime

These cells make mucilage, a slippery, slimy gel made mostly of sugars. It does several jobs:

• It helps the root tip slide between bits of soil.
• It keeps the tip from drying out.
• Scientists think it also feeds helpful tiny living things in the soil near the root.

Root cap slime quiz