Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Short-distance Transport of Resources

Short-distance Transport of Resources

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.

Responses to Gravity and Touch

Responses to Gravity and Touch

Gravitropism: Plant Responses to Gravity

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...

Cell Signaling in Plants

Cell Signaling in Plants

Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...

Responses to Drought and Flooding

Responses to Drought and Flooding

Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.

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.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

An N-acetyltransferase-MAPK fusion protein modulates developmental reprogramming in Physcomitrium patens.

The New phytologist·2026

Same author

MSL10 is a high-sensitivity mechanosensor in the tactile sense of the Venus flytrap.

Nature communications·2025

Same author

STEMIN transcription factor drives selective chromatin remodeling for gene activation within a relaxed chromatin during reprogramming in the moss Physcomitrium patens.

The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology·2025

Same author

Physcomitrium LATERAL SUPPRESSOR genes promote formative cell divisions to produce germ cell lineages in both male and female gametangia.

The New phytologist·2024

Same author

Author Correction: Infrared laser-induced gene expression in single cells characterized by quantitative imaging in Physcomitrium patens.

Communications biology·2024

Same author

Infrared laser-induced gene expression in single cells characterized by quantitative imaging in Physcomitrium patens.

Communications biology·2024

Same journal

Reconstructing the survival history of relict herbs endemic to the heavy snowfall regions of Japan during the Pleistocene.

Journal of plant research·2026

Same journal

Preliminary phylogenetic insights into Japanese willows (Salix) using low-copy nuclear genes, with emphasis on endemic species.

Journal of plant research·2026

Same journal

Overexpression of the tomato SlLEA_2-26 gene enhances the tolerance todrought and salt stresses in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Journal of plant research·2026

Same journal

Assessing interannual variation in leaf chlorophyll dynamics using optical and destructive methods with mixed-effects and additive modelling.

Journal of plant research·2026

Same journal

Chemical composition, in vitro color reconstruction, and bee vision modeling regarding anthocyanins and other phenolics from the flowers of Petrea macrostachya and Petrea volubilis.

Journal of plant research·2026

Same journal

Coexistence mechanisms for herbaceous plants in arid ecosystems.

Journal of plant research·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 22, 2025

Real-time Imaging of Plant Cell Surface Dynamics with Variable-angle Epifluorescence Microscopy

Real-time Imaging of Plant Cell Surface Dynamics with Variable-angle Epifluorescence Microscopy

Published on: December 12, 2015

Rapid movements in plants.

Hiroaki Mano^1,2,3, Mitsuyasu Hasebe^4,5

¹Division of Evolutionary Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Nishigonaka 38, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan. hmano@nibb.ac.jp.

Journal of Plant Research

|January 8, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Some plants exhibit rapid movements, unlike typical slow-growing species. This review explores the unique mechanisms, including turgor pressure and cell communication, driving fast plant motion.

Keywords:

Electrical signal Ion transport Mechanosensing Rapid movement Structure Water transport

More Related Videos

Using Changes in Leaf Transmission to Investigate Chloroplast Movement in Arabidopsis thaliana

Using Changes in Leaf Transmission to Investigate Chloroplast Movement in Arabidopsis thaliana

Published on: July 14, 2021

Wide-Field, Real-Time Imaging of Local and Systemic Wound Signals in Arabidopsis

Wide-Field, Real-Time Imaging of Local and Systemic Wound Signals in Arabidopsis

Published on: June 4, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 22, 2025

Real-time Imaging of Plant Cell Surface Dynamics with Variable-angle Epifluorescence Microscopy

Real-time Imaging of Plant Cell Surface Dynamics with Variable-angle Epifluorescence Microscopy

Published on: December 12, 2015

Using Changes in Leaf Transmission to Investigate Chloroplast Movement in Arabidopsis thaliana

Using Changes in Leaf Transmission to Investigate Chloroplast Movement in Arabidopsis thaliana

Published on: July 14, 2021

Wide-Field, Real-Time Imaging of Local and Systemic Wound Signals in Arabidopsis

Wide-Field, Real-Time Imaging of Local and Systemic Wound Signals in Arabidopsis

Published on: June 4, 2021

Area of Science:

Plant Biology
Biophysics
Mechanobiology

Background:

While most plant movements are slow, some species display rapid motion comparable to animals.
Animal movement relies on muscle contraction, whereas plants utilize turgor pressure and elastic forces.
Stomatal and pulvini movements are model systems for turgor-driven plant motion.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the current understanding of rapid plant movements.
To highlight the challenges in explaining rapid multicellular plant motion.
To encourage further research into the mechanisms of fast plant movements.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on plant biomechanics and cell signaling.
Analysis of mechanisms underlying turgor-driven and elastic force-based movements.
Examination of factors limiting movement speed, such as water transport.

Main Results:

Rapid plant movements necessitate mechanisms beyond simple turgor pressure, involving 3D structures and rapid cell-cell communication.
Water transport limitations are overcome in fast-moving structures like carnivorous plant traps.
Electrical activities, akin to animal action potentials, are implicated in rapid plant signaling but lack molecular identification.

Conclusions:

Rapid multicellular plant movements require specialized adaptations for deformation, cell communication, and mechanosensing.
Understanding the molecular basis of electrical signals in plants is crucial for elucidating rapid movement mechanisms.
Further research is needed to fully comprehend the complex strategies plants employ for rapid motion.