Plant micro- and nanomechanics: experimental techniques for plant cell-wall analysis.
In the last few decades, micro- and nanomechanical methods have become increasingly important analytical techniques to gain deeper insight into the nanostructure and mechanical design of plant cell walls. The objective of this article is to review the most common micro- and nanomechanical approaches that are utilized to study primary and secondary cell walls from a biomechanics perspective. In light of their quite disparate functions, the common and opposing structural features of primary and secondary cell walls are reviewed briefly. A significant part of the article is devoted to an overview of the methodological aspects of the mechanical characterization techniques with a particular focus on new developments and advancements in the field of nanomechanics. This is followed and complemented by a review of numerous studies on the mechanical role of cellulose fibrils and the various matrix components as well as the polymer interactions in the context of primary and secondary cell-wall function.
ETH Zurich, Institute for Building Materials, Schafmattstrasse 6, 8093 Zurich & Empa, Applied Wood Materials Laboratory, Ueberlandstrasse 129, 8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland.
Ingo
I
Burgert
Tobias
T
Keplinger
D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002482:Cellulose / Q000032:analysis; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D059828:Plant Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D002482:Cellulose
Atomic force microscopy; fibre–matrix interactions; micromechanics; nanoindentation; plant biomechanics; primary cell walls; secondary cell walls.