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Plasmodesmata

Plasmodesmata

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.

Plasmodesmata

Plasmodesmata

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...

Tonicity in Plants

Tonicity in Plants

Tonicity describes the capacity of a cell to lose or gain water. It depends on the quantity of solute that does not penetrate the membrane. Tonicity delimits the magnitude and direction of osmosis and results in three possible scenarios that alter the volume of a cell: hypertonicity, hypotonicity, and isotonicity. Due to differences in structure and physiology, tonicity of plant cells is different from that of animal cells in some scenarios.

Tonicity in Plants

Tonicity in Plants

Plant cells maintain appropriate osmotic balance in extreme conditions. For instance, plants in dry environments store water in vacuoles, limit the opening of their stoma, and have thick, waxy cuticles to prevent unnecessary water loss. Some species of plants that live in salty environments store salt in their roots. As a result, water osmosis occurs in the root from the surrounding soil.
Tonicity
Tonicity describes the capacity of a cell to lose or gain water depending on the solute...

The Apoplast and Symplast

The Apoplast and Symplast

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...

Xylem and Transpiration-driven Transport of Resources

Xylem and Transpiration-driven Transport of Resources

The xylem of vascular plants distributes water and dissolved minerals that are taken up by the roots to the rest of the plant. The cells that transport xylem sap are dead upon maturity, and the movement of xylem sap is a passive process.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Author Spotlight: Microscopic Analysis of Protein Localization at Plasmodesmata in Plants

Author Spotlight: Microscopic Analysis of Protein Localization at Plasmodesmata in Plants

Published on: November 1, 2024

Interplay between turgor pressure and plasmodesmata during plant development.

Valeria Hernández-Hernández¹, Mariana Benítez², Arezki Boudaoud¹

¹Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, Lyon, France.

Journal of Experimental Botany

|September 30, 2019

Summary

Plasmodesmata aperture regulates molecule movement between plant cells. This review explores how turgor pressure and plasmodesmata permeability mutually influence plant development and evolution.

Keywords:

Hydraulic conductivity mechanical stress permeability plasmodesmata turgor pressure

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Last Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Author Spotlight: Microscopic Analysis of Protein Localization at Plasmodesmata in Plants

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Shootward Movement of CFDA Tracer Loaded in the Bottom Sink Tissues of Arabidopsis

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Published on: May 11, 2019

Area of Science:

Plant Biology
Cell Biology
Developmental Biology

Background:

Plasmodesmata are channels connecting plant cells, enabling intercellular transport of essential molecules.
Plasmodesmal permeability, controlled by aperture size, is crucial for plant development, influencing processes like vascular differentiation and flowering.
While molecular regulators are known, the role of mechanical forces, particularly turgor pressure, in plasmodesmal function remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

To review experimental evidence on the interplay between turgor pressure and plasmodesmal permeability.
To discuss how these mechanical and permeability feedbacks influence plant development.
To highlight open questions for future research in plant multicellularity and evolution.

Main Methods:

Literature review of experimental data on plasmodesmata, turgor pressure, and plant development.
Analysis of existing research linking mechanical forces and cellular communication.
Synthesis of findings to propose a framework for understanding mutual influences.

Main Results:

Turgor pressure and plasmodesmal permeability exhibit reciprocal interactions during plant development.
These interactions are critical for regulating cellular patterns and developmental transitions.
Evidence suggests a significant role for mechanical feedback in plasmodesmal function.

Conclusions:

Understanding the dynamic relationship between turgor pressure and plasmodesmal permeability is key to deciphering plant development.
Further research into these feedbacks will illuminate the evolution of multicellularity in plants.
This knowledge can advance our understanding of how cellular patterns emerge and are maintained.