Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026

11:09
A Simple Protocol for Mapping the Plant Root System Architecture Traits
Published on: February 10, 2023
3.9K
Plant Biology: Building Barriers… in Roots
Daniel von Wangenheim1, Tatsuaki Goh2, Daniela Dietrich1
1Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, Plant & Crop Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK.
Current Biology : CB
|March 8, 2017
Abstract:
The Casparian strip is an important barrier regulating water and nutrient uptake into root tissues. New research reveals two peptide signals and their co-receptors play critical roles patterning and maintaining barrier integrity.
Related Concept Videos
Water and Mineral Acquisition
36.1K
Specialized tissues in plant roots have evolved to capture water, minerals, and some ions from the soil. Roots exhibit a variety of branching patterns that facilitate this process. The outermost root cells have specialized structures called root hairs that increase the root surface, thus increasing soil contact. Water can passively cross into roots, as the concentration of water in the soil is higher than that of the root tissue. Minerals, in contrast, are actively transported into root cells.
36.1K
Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores
29.8K
Plants present a rich source of nutrients for many organisms, making it a target for herbivores and infectious agents. Plants, though lacking a proper immune system, have developed an array of constitutive and inducible defenses to fend off these attacks.
29.8K
Basic Plant Anatomy: Roots, Stems, and Leaves
65.5K
The primary organs of vascular plants are roots, stems, and leaves, but these structures can be highly variable, adapted for the specific needs and environment of different plant species.
65.5K
Short-distance Transport of Resources
17.9K
Short-distance transport refers to transport that occurs over a distance of just 2-3 cells, crossing the plasma membrane in the process. Small uncharged molecules, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water, can diffuse across the plasma membrane on their own. In contrast, ions and larger molecules require the assistance of transport proteins due to their charge or size. Transport across membranes also occurs within individual cells, playing a variety of essential roles for the plant as a whole.
17.9K
Introduction to Plant Diversity
49.8K
From Water to Land
49.8K
The Apoplast and Symplast
54.7K
Plant growth depends on its ability to take up water and dissolved minerals from the soil. The root system of every plant is equipped with the necessary tissues to facilitate the entry of water and solutes. The plant tissues involved in the transport of water and minerals have two major compartments - the apoplast and the symplast. The apoplast includes everything outside the plasma membrane of living cells and consists of cell walls, extracellular spaces, xylem, phloem, and tracheids. The...
54.7K

