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Microtubules in Plant Root Hairs and Their Role in Cell Polarity and Tip Growth

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Plant Cell Monographs

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Abstract

The cytoskeleton is part of the tip-growth machinery that assembles in the subapex of elongating root hairs of plant roots. The role of actin in the tip-growth process is well studied and understood (see Ketelaar and Emons, this volume), whereas the function of microtubules (MTs) is less clear. However, recent studies demonstrate that MTs also play a crucial role in the tip-growth process. Here we discuss recent techniques to visualize MTs in root hairs, give an overview on current knowledge of structure, dynamics, and function of the MT cytoskeleton in elongating root hairs of different plant species, and give an outlook on future perspectives.

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Acknowledgments

The authors kindly thank Clare Gough from the Laboratory of Plant–Microorganism Interactions (Castanet-Tolosan, France) for the constructive comments and for English editing.

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  1. Laboratory of Plant–Microorganism Interactions, CNRS INRA, UMR2594, 24 Chemin de Borde Rouge, B.P. 52627, F-31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France

    B. J. Sieberer & A. C. J. Timmers

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  1. B. J. Sieberer
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  2. A. C. J. Timmers
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Correspondence to A. C. J. Timmers .

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Sieberer, B.J., Timmers, A.C.J. (2008). Microtubules in Plant Root Hairs and Their Role in Cell Polarity and Tip Growth. In: Plant Cell Monographs. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/7089_2008_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/7089_2008_13

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