Plant cell morphogenesis

The bodies of multicellular organisms are composed of cells of various shapes. The plant body is made up of cells reinforced with the rigid cell walls. The deposition patterns of the cell wall components determine the physical property of the cell walls, as well as the morphology and function of the cells. The cytoskeleton plays central roles in determining the deposition patterns of the cell wall components. In our laboratory, we aim to understand how the cytoskeleton is spatiotemporally organized and how the deposition of cell walls are directed through the dynamic behavior of the cytoskeleton.

Xylem vessels

The xylem vessel cells deposit thick, hydrophobic cell walls and then undergo programmed cell death to form hollows for water transport. The cell walls are deposited in distinct patterns such as spiral, reticulate, and pitted patterns (Fig. 1). We study how microtubules and actin filaments are organized to direct the distinct deposition patterns of the cell walls in differentiating xylem vessel cells (Fig. 2).

Cell division

Plant cells undergo cytokinesis by forming a cell plate. The position and orientation of the cell plate formation essentially influence the shape and fate of the cell. Cell plate formation is directed by the plant-unique mitotic structures such as the preprophase bundle (PPB) and the phragmoplast (Fig. 3). We study how these structures are developed and spatiotemporally regulated during cell division.