Development of new imaging methods to analyze the mechanism of cell differentiation in trees by direct visualization of single-cell

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14954
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Wood science
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Funada Ryo 東京農工大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 教授 (20192734)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 木質バイオマス / 細胞分化 / 生体イメージング / 細胞壁 / 微小管 / 管状要素 / 培養細胞 / セルロース・ミクロフィブリル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to understand fully the mechanism of xylem differentiation in trees, new differentiation system that could induce formation of secondary xylem-like tracheary elements was developed from from calli of Populus sieboldi × P. grandidentata and Aesculus turbinate. Induced tracheary elements formed broad regions of thick cell walls, bordered pits and perforations that showed typical features of vessel elements and tracheids. Our new in vitro system allows the detailed analysis of the process of differentiation of secondary xylem. In addition, the orientation and localization of microtubules was visualized using stable expression of genes for microtubule-associated proteins with green fluorescent protein in a single differentiating tracheary element by real-time imaging techniques. The microtubules play an important role in the determination of pattern of cell wall structure.

Free Research Field

木質科学