Spongy tissue

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Spongy tissue is a type of tissue found both in plants and animals.

In plants, it is part of the mesophyll, where it forms a layer next to the palisade cells in the leaf. The spongy mesophyll's function is to allow for the interchange of gases (CO₂) that are needed for photosynthesis. The spongy mesophyll cells are less likely to go through photosynthesis than those in the palisade mesophyll. It is also the name of a disorder of fruit ripening which can reduce the value of a fruit yield, especially in mango.^[1] In the alphonso mango variety, this problem is particularly common, giving soft, white, 'corky' tissue.

Spongy tissue is also a type of animal tissue which contains smooth muscles, fibrous tissues, spaces, veins, and arteries. An example is the corpus spongiosum penis. In bone, the spongy tissue is called cancellous tissue.