Abstract
According to Roelofsen and Houwink's (1953, Acta Bot. Neerl. 2, 218–225) multinet growth hypothesis, microfibrils originally deposited transversely in the cell wall become gradually reoriented towards more axial orientations during cell elongation. To establish the extent of reorientation, microfibrils were studied during their deposition and elongation, using stylar parenchyma and transmitting tissue cells of Petunia hybrida L. At the inner surface of very young cells, microfibrils were deposited in alternating Z- and S-helical orientations. The following sequence in deposition, from the exterior to the interior side of the wall, could be inferred: Axial: 150°–180° (Z-helical), 0°–30° (S-helical); oblique: 110°–150° (Z-helical), 30°–70° (S-helical); transverse: 90°–110° (Z-helical), 70°–90° (S-helical). With the increasing pitch, the density of the deposited microfibrils increased as well, giving rise to an alternating helical texture. During elongation, only transversely S- and Z-helically oriented microfibrils were deposited and all microfibrils underwent a certain reorientation as described in the multinet growth hypothesis. The texture resembled that of young cells and the wall maintained its thickness. The extent of passive reorientation was in agreement with the theoretical calculations made by Preston.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- MGH:
-
multinet growth hypothesis
References
Böhmer, H. (1958) Untersuchungen über das Wachstum und den Feinbau der Zellwände in der Avena Koleoptile. Planta 50, 461–497
Boyd, J.D. (1985) Biophysical control of microfibril orientation in plant cell walls. Aquatic and terrestrial plants including trees. Martinus Nijhoff, Dr. W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht Boston Lancaster
Cleland, R.E. (1986) The role of hormones in wall loosening and plant growth. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 13, 93–103
Cosgrove, D.J. (1989) Characterization of long-term extension of isolated cell walls from growing cucumber hypocotyls. Planta 177, 121–130
Emons, A.M.C. (1988) Methods for visualizing cell wall texture. Acta Bot. Neerl. 37, 31–38
Eriksson, R.O. (1980) Microfibrillar structure of growing plant cell walls. In: Lecture notes in biomathematics, vol. 33: Mathematical modelling in biology and ecology, pp. 192–212, Getz, W.M., ed. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Hawes, C., Juniper, B.E., Horne, J.C. (1983) Electron microscopy of resin-free sections of plant cells. Protoplasma 115, 88–93
Houwink, A.L., Roelofsen, P.A. (1954) Fibrillar architecture of growing plant cells. Acta Bot. Neerl. 3, 385–395
Iwata, K., Hogetsu, T. (1989) Orientation of wall microfibrils in Avena coleoptiles and mesocotyls and in Pisum epicotyls. Plant Cell Physiol. 30, 749–757
Mayor, H.D., Hampton, J.C., Rosario, B. (1961) A simple method for removing the resin from epoxy-embedding tissue. J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol. 9, 909–910
Neville, A.C., Levy, S. (1984) Helicoidal orientation of cellulose microfibrils in Nitella opaca internode cells: ultrastructure and computed theoretical effects of strain reorientation during wall growth. Planta 162, 370–384
Preston, R.D. (1982) The case for multi-net growth in growing walls of plants. Planta 155, 356–363
Probine, M.C., Preston, R.D. (1962) Cell growth and the structure and mechanical properties of the wall in internodal cells of Nitella opaca. II. Mechanical properties of the walls. J. Exp. Bot. 13, 111–127
Roelofsen, P.A., Houwink, A.L. (1953) Architecture and growth of the primary wall in some plant hairs and in the Phycomyces sporangiophore. Acta Bot. Neerl. 2, 218–225
Ray, P.M. (1967) Radioautographic study of cell wall deposition in growing plant cells. J. Cell Biol. 35, 659–674
Ryser, U. (1985) Cell wall biosynthesis in differentiating cotton fibers. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 39, 236–256
Sargent, C. (1978) Differentiation of the crossed-fibrillar outer epidermal wall during extension growth in Hordeum vulgare L. Protoplasma 95, 309–320
Sassen, M.M.A., Traas, J.A., Wolters-Arts, A.M.C. (1985) Deposition of cellulose microfibrils in cell walls of root hairs. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 37, 21–26
Sassen, M.M.A., Wolters-Arts, A.M.C. (1986) Cell wall texture and cortical microtubules in growing staminal hairs of Tradescantia virginiana. Acta Bot. Neerl. 35, 351–360
Setterfield, G., Bayley, S.T. (1959) Deposition of cell walls in oat coleoptiles. Can. J. Bot. 37, 861–870
Spurr, A.R. (1969) A low-viscosity epoxy resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. J. Ultrastruc. Res. 26, 31–34
Taiz, L. (1984) Plant cell expansion: regulation of cell wall mechanical properties. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 35, 585–657
Wardrop, A.B. (1955) The mechanism of surface growth in parenchyma of Avena coleoptiles. Aust. J. Bot. 3, 137–156
Wardrop, A.B. (1962) Cell wall organization in higher plants. 1. The primary wall. Bot. Review 28, 241–285
Wardrop, A.B., Cronshaw, J. (1958) Changes in cell wall organization resulting from surface growth in parenchyma of oat coleoptiles. Aust. J. Bot. 6, 89–95
Wardrop, A.B., Wolters-Arts, A.M.C., Sassen, M.M.A. (1979) Changes in microfibril orientation in walls of elongating plant cells. Acta Bot. Neerl. 28, 313–333
Wilms, F.H.A., Wolters-Arts, A.M.C., Derksen, J. (1990) Orientation of cellulose microfibrils in cortex cells of tobacco expiants: effects of microtubule-depolymerizing drugs. Planta 182, 1–8
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Dedicated to Professor Dr. A.B. Wardrop, Melbourne, on the occasion of his 70th birthday
The authors are much indebted to Dr. J. Derksen (Department of Experimental Botany, University of Nijmegen), Dr. A.M.C. Emons (Department of Plant Cytology, Wageningen Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands) and Dr. T.L.M. Rutten (Department of Experimental Botany, University of Nijmegen) for critically reading the manuscript.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wolters-Arts, A.M.C., Sassen, M.M.A. Deposition and reorientation of cellulose microfibrils in elongating cells of Petunia stylar tissue. Planta 185, 179–189 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00194059
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00194059