Abstract
Microtubules are a major component of the plant cytoskeleton. The factors which control the orientation of microtubules in plants are unknown. In this paper we describe preliminary findings that non-injurious electrical fields or mechanical fields, applied to pea roots, can cause a re-orientation of cortical microtubules which then lie in a plane approximately perpendicular to the direction of the applied field, within 6 hours. These results provide the first experimental evidence that physical fields can control the orientation of microtubules in plant tissues.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 551-560 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Cell Biology International Reports |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 7 |
Publication status | Published - 1991 |
Externally published | Yes |