Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Plasmodesmata02:32

Plasmodesmata

36.2K
The organs in a multicellular organism’s body are made up of tissues formed by cells. To work together cohesively, cells must communicate. One way that cells communicate is through direct contact with other cells. The points of contact that connect adjacent cells are called intercellular junctions.
36.2K
Plasmodesmata01:20

Plasmodesmata

4.6K
In a multicellular organism, cells must communicate to work together in a coordinated manner. One way that cells communicate is through direct contact with other cells. The points of contact that connect adjacent cells are called intercellular junctions.
Intercellular junctions are a feature of fungal, plant, and animal cells. However, different types of junctions are found in different kinds of cells. Intercellular junctions found in animal cells include tight junctions, gap junctions, and...
4.6K
Contact-dependent Signaling01:19

Contact-dependent Signaling

48.6K
Contact-dependent signaling, as the name suggests, requires that communicating cells be in direct contact with each other. This is achieved either through receptor-ligand interactions or by specialized cytoplasmic channels that allow the flow of small molecules between cells. In animal cells, channels called gap junctions facilitate contact-dependent signaling in certain tissues, whereas, plasmodesmata perform a similar function in plants.
Gap Junctions
In animal cells, gap junctions are formed...
48.6K
Gastrulation01:56

Gastrulation

69.0K
Gastrulation establishes the three primary tissues of an embryo: the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. This developmental process relies on a series of intricate cellular movements, which in humans transforms a flat, “bilaminar disc” composed of two cell sheets into a three-tiered structure. In the resulting embryo, the endoderm serves as the bottom layer, and stacked directly above it is the intermediate mesoderm, and then the uppermost ectoderm. Respectively, these tissue strata...
69.0K
Morphogenesis02:19

Morphogenesis

30.8K
Plant morphogenesis—the development of a plant’s form and structure—involves several overlapping developmental processes, including growth and cell differentiation. Precursor cells differentiate into specific cell types, which are organized into the tissues and organ systems that make up the functional plant.
30.8K
Cell Adhesion in Plants01:14

Cell Adhesion in Plants

3.6K
Plants have rigid cell walls that are made up of cell wall polysaccharides that mediate cell-cell adhesion. The primary cell walls of plants consist of two independent and interacting polysaccharide networks: a pectin matrix that embeds the second network comprising cellulose and hemicelluloses.
Pectins are complex heteropolymers mainly composed of negatively-charged α-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid and some neutral glycosyl residues such as α-L-rhamnopyranose, α-L-arabinofuranose,...
3.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The value of Arabidopsis as a model for secondary xylem research.

The New phytologist·2026
Same author

Cryo-EM structure of the Arabidopsisthaliana ribosome in translating and non-translating states.

Structure (London, England : 1993)·2026
Same author

Establishing a multidisciplinary one-stop thyroid clinic: an innovative model to expedite thyroid cancer diagnosis and enhance patient-centered care.

International journal of surgery (London, England)·2026
Same author

Building a diverse and inclusive plant science community.

Journal of experimental botany·2026
Same author

The ZAT14 family promotes cell death and regulates expansins to affect xylem formation and salt tolerance in Arabidopsis.

The Plant cell·2025
Same author

Plasmodesmata wall biomechanics: challenges and opportunities.

Journal of experimental botany·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Author Spotlight: Optimizing the Neurovascular Development of Human Brain Organoid in Chick Embryo
04:08

Author Spotlight: Optimizing the Neurovascular Development of Human Brain Organoid in Chick Embryo

Published on: February 16, 2024

2.4K

Symplastic communication in organ formation and tissue patterning.

Sofia Otero1, Yrjo Helariutta2, Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso3

  • 1Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Bateman Street, Cambridge CB2 1LR, UK.

Current Opinion in Plant Biology
|December 15, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Plant cells communicate symplastically via plasmodesmata, crucial for development. This review explores how altering plasmodesmata impacts cell shape, organ growth, and meristem maintenance, highlighting new regulators and mobile molecules.

More Related Videos

Mapping the Emergent Spatial Organization of Mammalian Cells using Micropatterns and Quantitative Imaging
09:56

Mapping the Emergent Spatial Organization of Mammalian Cells using Micropatterns and Quantitative Imaging

Published on: April 30, 2019

7.1K
Optimization of Renal Organoid and Organotypic Culture for Vascularization, Extended Development, and Improved Microscopy Imaging
12:49

Optimization of Renal Organoid and Organotypic Culture for Vascularization, Extended Development, and Improved Microscopy Imaging

Published on: March 28, 2020

8.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Author Spotlight: Optimizing the Neurovascular Development of Human Brain Organoid in Chick Embryo
04:08

Author Spotlight: Optimizing the Neurovascular Development of Human Brain Organoid in Chick Embryo

Published on: February 16, 2024

2.4K
Mapping the Emergent Spatial Organization of Mammalian Cells using Micropatterns and Quantitative Imaging
09:56

Mapping the Emergent Spatial Organization of Mammalian Cells using Micropatterns and Quantitative Imaging

Published on: April 30, 2019

7.1K
Optimization of Renal Organoid and Organotypic Culture for Vascularization, Extended Development, and Improved Microscopy Imaging
12:49

Optimization of Renal Organoid and Organotypic Culture for Vascularization, Extended Development, and Improved Microscopy Imaging

Published on: March 28, 2020

8.5K

Area of Science:

  • Plant Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Intercellular communication is vital for coordinating organ formation and tissue patterning in multicellular organisms.
  • In plants, symplastic transport through plasmodesmata connects the cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum of adjacent cells, facilitating molecule exchange.
  • Plasmodesmata are dynamic channels that regulate the passage of metabolites and signaling molecules, influencing plant development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the critical role of symplastic communication in plant development.
  • To review the literature on the effects of modifying plasmodesmata on cell morphogenesis, organ initiation, and meristem maintenance.
  • To discuss recent findings on novel plasmodesmata regulators and mobile developmental molecules (proteins and RNA).

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing research on plasmodesmata function and regulation.
  • Analysis of studies investigating the impact of altered plasmodesmata on plant development.
  • Synthesis of recent findings on plasmodesmata regulators and mobile molecules.

Main Results:

  • Changes in plasmodesmata significantly affect cell morphogenesis, organ initiation, and meristem maintenance.
  • Novel regulators of plasmodesmata have been identified, offering new insights into their control.
  • Mobile developmental proteins and RNA molecules transported through plasmodesmata play key roles in signaling.

Conclusions:

  • Symplastic communication via plasmodesmata is essential for coordinated plant development.
  • Understanding plasmodesmata dynamics and regulation opens new avenues for research in plant biology.
  • Targeting plasmodesmata function could offer strategies for modulating plant growth and development.