[Endocytosis and actin-dependent transport of plant cell wall components]

Endocytosis is the way of uptaking and transporting substances from the immediate surroundings, as well as the way of removal and/or recycling of the plasma membrane components. For many years, it was thought that this process was not operating in plant cells in which high turgor pressure of the protoplast prevented invagination of the plasma membrane. Recent years, however, brought the evidence for intensive endocytosis in plants. So far, four types of endocytosis, among 5 known, have been identified in plants. Use of protein markers of different compartments of the endomembrane system, specific dyes, and the cytoskeleton inhibitors, made possible demonstration that, as opposed to animal and fungal systems, endocytosis in plant cells was dependent on actin and plant-specific myosins of VIII and XI classes. Although cell divisions in plants and animals differ considerably, they both are dependent on the proper endocytosis. It has been shown that during cytokinesis secretion and endocytosis act in concert, delivering polysaccharides directionally to the growing cell plate. What is more important, new cell walls are built from e.g. pectins transported by endocytosis from existing cell walls.