Plants, such as the sensitive plant, respond to touch through rapid movements of their leaves, a process not involving muscle action, but rather a quick response mechanism.
Why do plants, lacking a nervous system and muscles, exhibit movement in response to stimuli like touch?
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Plants, lacking a nervous system and muscles, exhibit movement in response to stimuli like touch due to specialized cells and physiological processes. Thigmonastic movements, such as in the sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica), involve changes in turgor pressure and ion movements within cells. Upon touch, specific cells lose turgor pressure, causing reversible leaf folding. Additionally, some plants show growth-related movements, like tendrils wrapping around supports, driven by differential cell elongation. While not muscle-driven, these movements result from changes in cellular structures and pressures, allowing plants to respond to stimuli and optimize their position in the environment for growth, reproduction, and defense.