Compare the inner anatomy of a plant with the most basic form of life: the cell. plants must carry water from their roots to their stems and leaves. they must also carry nutrients like glucose to the rest of the plant. xylem and phloem are important parts of vascular plants that do this important work. the cross section above shows xylem and phloem inside the root of a plant. what part of the cell are xylem and phloem most similar to in function?

endoplasmic reticulum

Explanation:

The cytoplasmic organelle that most closely resembles the functions of xylem and phloem is the endoplasmic reticulum.

This is because xylem and phloem have the function of transporting water and nutrients, while endoplasmic reticulum (in addition to protein production) has the function of producing lipid molecules, especially phospholipids that will make up the cell membrane. However, depending on the type of cell it is in, the endoplasmic reticulum will have different functions. Thus, for example, it may be more involved in the production of steroid hormones from cholesterol, or with the regulation of calcium levels in the cytoplasm of striated muscle cells.