title: Plant cells use auxin efflux to explore geometry.
abstract: Cell movement is the central mechanism for animal morphogenesis. Plant cell development rather relies on flexible alignment of cell axis adjusting cellular differentiation to directional cues. As central input, vectorial fields of mechanical stress and gradients of the phytohormone auxin have been discussed. In tissue contexts, mechanical and chemical signals will always act in concert; experimentally it is difficult to dissect their individual roles. We have designed a novel approach, based on cells, where directionality has been eliminated by removal of the cell wall. We impose a new axis using a microfluidic set-up to generate auxin gradients. Rectangular microvessels are integrated orthogonally with the gradient. Cells in these microvessels align their new axis with microvessel geometry before touching the wall. Auxin efflux is necessary for this touch-independent geometry exploration and we suggest a model, where auxin gradients can be used to align cell axis in tissues with minimized mechanical tensions.
authors: Molecular Cell Biology, Botanical Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 2, D-76128 Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors: Beatrix
authors: B
authors: Zaban
authors: CAS Key Lab for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, 11 Beiyitiao, ZhongGuanCun, Beijing, China.
authors: Wenwen
authors: W
authors: Liu
authors: CAS Key Lab for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, 11 Beiyitiao, ZhongGuanCun, Beijing, China.
authors: Xingyu
authors: X
authors: Jiang
authors: Molecular Cell Biology, Botanical Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 2, D-76128 Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Nick
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; D010797:Phthalimides / Q000494:pharmacology; D059828:Plant Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010797:Phthalimides; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; C002687:alpha-naphthylphthalamic acid