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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

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

Shaping the meristem by mechanical forces.

Patrick Laufs¹, Alexis Peaucelle, Herman Höfte

¹Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA) Route de Saint Cyr, 78026 Versailles CEDEX France. patrick.laufs@versailles.inra.fr

F1000 Biology Reports

|October 16, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Plant cells in the Arabidopsis apical meristem align microtubules with mechanical stress during development. This microtubule-cytoskeleton and cell wall interaction creates a feedback loop influencing meristem shape, potentially alongside auxin signaling.

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Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

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

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Use of Atomic Force Microscopy to Measure Mechanical Properties and Turgor Pressure of Plant Cells and Plant Tissues

Use of Atomic Force Microscopy to Measure Mechanical Properties and Turgor Pressure of Plant Cells and Plant Tissues

Published on: July 15, 2019

Area of Science:

Plant biology
Cellular mechanics
Developmental biology

Background:

The Arabidopsis apical meristem is a crucial} dome-shaped structure responsible for plant growth.
Cellular shape and tissue morphogenesis are influenced by internal and external mechanical forces.
Microtubules play a significant role in maintaining cell shape and directing cell wall deposition.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between mechanical stress and microtubule orientation in the Arabidopsis apical meristem.
To understand the feedback mechanisms involving microtubules, cell wall properties, and meristem shaping.
To explore the interplay between mechanical cues and hormonal signaling (auxin) in plant development.

Main Methods:

Utilizing advanced live-imaging techniques to observe microtubule dynamics in the apical meristem.
Employing computational modeling to simulate mechanical stress patterns and their effects on cell shape.
Analyzing genetic mutants to dissect the roles of specific cytoskeletal or cell wall components.

Main Results:

Cells in the Arabidopsis apical meristem align their cortical microtubules in response to mechanical stress patterns.
This alignment is predicted to alter the mechanical properties of the cell by modifying the microtubule network and cell wall.
A feedback loop is proposed where mechanical stress influences cell and tissue shape, potentially operating in parallel with auxin signaling.

Conclusions:

Mechanical stress is a key regulator of microtubule organization in the plant apical meristem.
The microtubule-cytoskeleton and cell wall form a responsive system that contributes to meristem morphogenesis.
This mechanosensitive feedback loop offers a new perspective on how plant tissues establish and maintain their form.