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Background:
Bioimaging of
intercellular transport in plants with
confocal laser scanning microscopy
Structure and
function of plasmodesmata
Development and
function of the phloem
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Our work is focussing on the
cell biology of symplasmic communication in higher plants. Communication
messengers are sugars, proteins and nucleic acids moving cell-to-cell
and long-distance via plasmodesmata and sieve tubes in the phloem,
respectively. Messenger transport is regulated at the cellular and
tissue level, and is extremely sensitive to any preparatory change as
introduced by e.g., microinjection, cutting and even vibrations.
Wherever possible we investigate into and interfere with symplasmic
communication with non-invasive methods, making use of radioactive and
fluorescent transport tracers. Favourable plant systems like grafted,
parasitic and transformed plants are analysed with all relevant light
microscopic methods, including advanced confocal
and 2-photon laser scanning microscopy for bioimaging.
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