The actin cytoskeleton in root hairs: all is fine at the tip

Filamentous actin forms characteristic bundles in plant cells that facilitate cytoplasmic streaming. In contrast, networks of actin exhibiting fast turnover are found especially near sites of rapid cell expansion. These networks may serve various functions including delivering and retaining vesicles while preventing penetration of organelles into the area where cell growth occurs thereby allowing fast turnover of vesicles to and from the plasma membrane. Root hairs elongate by polarized growth at their tips and the local accumulation of fine F-actin near the tip has provided valuable insight into the organization of these networks. Here we will sequentially focus on the role of the actin cytoskeleton in root hair tip growth and on how activities of different actin binding proteins in the apical part of growing root hairs contribute to build the fine F-actin configuration that correlates with tip growth.