Computer-aided 3-D reconstruction of interphase epidermal cells of Datura stramonium reveals assembly

From immunofluorescence microscopy it has been cortical microtubules form whole-cell arrays. This has clearly seen in cylindrical hairs where the existence testifies to the continuity of the array around the cell. It is not, however, clear how microtubules pack polyhedral cells with multiple, angled facets. In problem, elongated and isodiametric cells in the stramonium L. were subjected to anti-tubulin avoiding distortion by cellulase treatment and air- sections were then deblurred by computer, the digitized, reconstructed and then rotated in order to arrangement of microtubules along the anticlinal walls This established several things. Microtubules tend to any one cell face; they form transverse, oblique or except that some walls bear a crisscross arrangement. cells, microtubules clearly form helices. In the cells, transversely wound microtubules are confirmed continuous from one face to another and probably, constitute helices. Microtubules on oblique end walls continue onto the side walls and do not form a microtubules can be ordered upon two adjacent facets, with respect to the stem's axis need not necessarily both facets, i.e. overall alignment can change at the isodiametric epidermal cells, microtubules can one cell facet to another. However, where microtubules anticlinal walls spill over onto a periclinal wall at a crisscross arrangement is set up. This is attributed geometrical problem of fitting parallel lines around polyhedra. Despite crossing over one another, the walls are nevertheless continuous with MTs on the side conclusion, in elongated cells the arrays still various pitch: in isodiametric cells (where the walls non-orthogonal angles to one another) the integrity of appears to be preserved by microtubules crossing over what is termed a 'sacrificial' face. The overriding microtubules to form an integral array regardless of

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				J. Marc, C. L. Granger, J. Brincat, D. D. Fisher, T.-h. Kao, A. G. McCubbin, and R. J. Cyr A GFP–MAP4 Reporter Gene for Visualizing Cortical Microtubule Rearrangements in Living Epidermal Cells PLANT CELL, November 1, 1998; 10(11): 1927 - 1940. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]