The plant cytoskeleton

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the plant cytoskeleton. Even though the major constituents and the general filamentous and tubular structures of the plant cytoskeleton are similar to those of animals, there are numerous differences in their functions; many of these arise either from differences in the structure of individual cells in plants or from the architectural coherence of cells within multicellular plants. The basic structure of an animal cell entails a plasma membrane surrounding a dense cytoplasm containing the nucleus and all the other organelles, including the cytoskeleton, and the cytoplast is often coated with a thin extra-cellular matrix. In contrast, fully-enlarged plant cells consist of a plasma membrane surrounding a thin smear of cytoplasm, which, in turn, encloses a massive vacuole, while the plasma membrane is almost always enclosed in a tough cell wall.