The physical properties of plant cells and tissues — such as stiffness, softness, and porosity — play a key role in how plants grow, develop, and respond to their environment. However, scientists still know very little about how these properties change in living plants over time. In this study, researchers used two advanced imaging techniques, Brillouin microscopy and molecular rotors, to study the mechanical properties of live roots in Arabidopsis thaliana, a commonly used model plant. They examined how these properties change as root cells develop, respond to stress, or undergo genetic modifications. The researchers found that mechanical properties vary between different cell types and tissues, and that these properties shift dynamically to support proper growth. They also observed that specific cell types can adapt their mechanical properties within just a few hours in response to stress or changes in cell wall structure. These findings lay the groundwork for future research into how physical forces and biochemical signals work together to guide plant development.
Alonso Baez, L., Bjorkoy, A., Saffioti, F., Morghen, S., Amanda, D., Ticha, M., … & Hamann, T. (2025). The mechanical properties of Arabidopsis thaliana roots adapt dynamically during development and to stress. bioRxiv, 2025-07. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.29.667350v1
