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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

A Labor-saving and Repeatable Touch-force Signaling Mutant Screen Protocol for the Study of Thigmomorphogenesis of a Model Plant Arabidopsis thaliana

A Labor-saving and Repeatable Touch-force Signaling Mutant Screen Protocol for the Study of Thigmomorphogenesis of a Model Plant Arabidopsis thaliana

Published on: August 6, 2019

Plant morphogenesis: a role for mechanical signals.

Jacques Dumais¹

¹Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. jdumais@oeb.harvard.edu

Current Biology : CB

|March 13, 2009

Summary

Tissue tension acts as a mechanical signal to guide plant cell growth. This discovery reveals a feedback loop where tension aligns microtubules, influencing cell wall formation and plant morphogenesis.

Area of Science:

Plant Biology
Cell Biology
Biophysics

Background:

Plant morphogenesis relies on the cell wall and cortical microtubules.
The precise mechanisms linking mechanical forces to microtubule organization are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of tissue-level mechanical tension in plant morphogenesis.
To elucidate the feedback mechanisms between mechanical signals and cellular structures.

Main Methods:

Utilized advanced imaging techniques to observe microtubule dynamics.
Applied controlled mechanical stress to plant tissues.
Analyzed the correlation between tension and microtubule alignment.

Main Results:

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Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

A Labor-saving and Repeatable Touch-force Signaling Mutant Screen Protocol for the Study of Thigmomorphogenesis of a Model Plant Arabidopsis thaliana

A Labor-saving and Repeatable Touch-force Signaling Mutant Screen Protocol for the Study of Thigmomorphogenesis of a Model Plant Arabidopsis thaliana

Published on: August 6, 2019

Live Cell Imaging of Microtubule Cytoskeleton and Micromechanical Manipulation of the Arabidopsis Shoot Apical Meristem

Live Cell Imaging of Microtubule Cytoskeleton and Micromechanical Manipulation of the Arabidopsis Shoot Apical Meristem

Published on: May 23, 2020

Probing the Roles of Physical Forces in Early Chick Embryonic Morphogenesis

Probing the Roles of Physical Forces in Early Chick Embryonic Morphogenesis

Published on: June 5, 2018

Demonstrated that tissue-level tension directly influences the alignment of cortical microtubules.

Established a feedback loop where mechanical signals regulate microtubule organization.

Showcased how this process impacts cell wall assembly and cell expansion.

Conclusions:

Tissue tension is a critical mechanical signal in plant morphogenesis.
This feedback mechanism provides new insights into how plants control their shape and growth.