Fig. 1. These schematic illustrations, rendered in 3D at two aspects, show microtubule arrays through the plant cell cycle. (A) A preprophase band, linked to the nucleus by phragmosome microtubules, marks the future division site. (B) Metaphase spindle with a dispersed polar region. (C) In telophase, the phragmoplast forms as a concentrated cylinder of microtubules between daughter nuclei. (D) The cytokinetic phragmoplast expands centrifugally, leading the cell plate towards attachment sites previously established by the preprophase band. Microtubule plus ends meet at midplane. (E) Once cytokinesis is complete, microtubules extend from the nucleus toward the cell cortex and plasma membrane-associated microtubules appear. (F) Plant cells in interphase and those entering terminal differentiation often expand predominantly in one direction. During cell elongation, cortical microtubules are usually arranged in parallel arrays whose predominant orientation is at right angles to the axis of expansion.

Return to article