Physiology and Biochemistry of Plant Cell Walls

We have sought in this book to present a series of portraits of the plant cell wall as it participates in various different aspects of the life of the plant cell. Hardly any event in the cell's life occurs without involving the wall in some way, and as a result the book covers almost every aspect of plant cell biology, albeit from a special point of view. In presenting the various portraits, we have tried to show how the biochemistry, physiology and fine structure combine to give a full picture. In many cases, however, cell-wall research has not progressed far enough to give a complete picture, and numerous gaps remain. We are most grateful to Mike Black and John Chapman for inviting us to write this book and for their advice; to Clem Earle for his encouragement and help; to Dr P.M. Dey for his helpful comments; to the many contributors of photographs and diagrams; to Ros Brett, for taking more than her share of the parenting while writing was in progress; and, most especially, to Su Waldron for doing all the work on the word processor.

1 The role of the cell wall in the life of the plant.- 1.1 Summary.- Further reading.- 2 Cell-wall structure and the skeletal functions of the wall.- 2.1 The layered structure of the wall.- 2.2 The microfibrillar phase: cellulose.- 2.3 The matrix phase: introduction.- 2.4 Extraction and classification of matrix polysaccharides.- 2.5 Pectic polysaccharides.- 2.6 Hemicelluloses.- 2.7 Proteins and glycoproteins.- 2.8 Lignin and other phenolic compounds.- 2.9 Cross-links between wall polymers.- 2.10 The cell wall as a set of interlinked networks.- 2.11 Chemical and physical properties of the whole cell wall.- 2.12 Mechanical strength as a specialized property of certain cells.- 2.13 Summary.- Further reading.- 3 Cell-wall formation.- 3.1 Stages of wall formation.- 3.2 Biochemical pathways of wall polysaccharide formation.- 3.3 Biochemical pathways of wall protein formation.- 3.4 Biochemical pathways of lignin formation.- 3.5 Sites of formation of cell-wall polymers.- 3.6 Control of wall formation.- 3.7 Summary.- Further reading.- 4 The cell wall and control of cell growth.- 4.1 Interaction between wall properties and turgor in growth control.- 4.2 The physical properties of the wall under tension.- 4.3 Properties of in vivo wall extension.- 4.4 Control of wall extensibility.- 4.5 Wall turnover.- 4.6 Summary.- Further reading.- 5 The cell wall and intercellular transport.- 5.1 Symplastic and apoplastic transport.- 5.2 Adaptations for impermeability.- 5.3 Special adaptations for transport.- 5.4 Summary.- Further reading.- 6 The cell wall and interactions with other organisms.- 6.1 Pathogens and potential pathogens.- 6.2 Predators.- 6.3 Nodulation and nitrogen fixation.- 6.4 Graft unions.- 6.5 Summary.- Further reading.- 7 The cell wall and reproduction.- 7.1 Pollen mother cells.- 7.2 Pollen-grain walls.- 7.3 Pollen-stigma interactions.- 7.4 The pollen tube.- 7.5 Cell-wall food reserves in seeds.- 7.6 Summary.- Further reading.- 8 Cell-wall degradation.- 8.1 Mobilization of food reserves in seeds.- 8.2 Abscission.- 8.3 Fruit ripening.- 8.4 Degradation by microorganisms.- 8.5 Imological applications.- 8.6 Summary.- Further reading.- 9 Outstanding problems for future research.- 9.1 Summary.- References.