kerato- or kerat- also cerato- or cerat- pref. 1. Horn; horny: keratosis. 2. Cornea: keratectomy. [Greek kerÄto-, horn, from keras, kerÄt-; see ker- in Indo-European roots.] kerato- or before a vowel kerat- combining form 1. indicating horn or a horny substance: keratin; keratogenous. 2. (Medicine) indicating the cornea: keratoplasty. [from Greek kerat-, keras horn] kerato- a combining form meaning âcorneaâ: keratoplasty.
Early root growth is one of the functions of the apical meristem located near the tip of the root. The meristem cells more or less continuously divide, producing more meristem, root cap cells (these are sacrificed to protect the meristem), and undifferentiated root cells.
These meristematic tissues differentiate into the three primary tissues that constitute the primary plant body: ground tissue (pith and cortex), vascular tissue (xylem, phloem, and eventually the lateral, or secondary, meristem called the vascular cambium), and dermal tissue (epidermis), respectively.