What is the role of living cells in wood surrounding a wound?

What is the role of living cells in wood surrounding a wound?

• A. They dissolve the wound tissue.
• B. They have no response to wounds.
• C. They accelerate decay.
• D. They react by forming materials that inhibit infection after a wound occurs.

Answer: (D)

When wood is damaged, the living cells around the wound become active defenders. Parenchyma and other living tissues detect the injury and respond by producing substances and forming barriers that protect the site. They deposit materials like suberin and lignin to create a protective barrier, sometimes build callus-like tissue to seal the wound, and may generate antimicrobial compounds to inhibit invading organisms. They can also form structures such as tyloses in vessels to block pathogen movement. This coordinated response helps prevent infection and further damage, rather than dissolving tissue or speeding up decay. So the living cells’ role is to react by forming materials that inhibit infection after a wound occurs.

When wood is damaged, the living cells around the wound become active defenders. Parenchyma and other living tissues detect the injury and respond by producing substances and forming barriers that protect the site. They deposit materials like suberin and lignin to create a protective barrier, sometimes build callus-like tissue to seal the wound, and may generate antimicrobial compounds to inhibit invading organisms. They can also form structures such as tyloses in vessels to block pathogen movement. This coordinated response helps prevent infection and further damage, rather than dissolving tissue or speeding up decay. So the living cells’ role is to react by forming materials that inhibit infection after a wound occurs.