Cell growth

Abstract

Growth can be defined as an irreversible increase in size or volume. In plants, growth is brought about by a combination of cell division and cell enlargement. Cell division alone does not constitute growth but rather increases the potential for growth by increasing the number of cells that can subsequently undergo expansion. Growth itself relies on the process of cell expansion and, in plants, this mechanism is highly dependent on the mechanical properties of the cell wall. These properties are, in turn, governed by the molecular components of the cell wall. The cell wall is key to much that exemplifies higher plants, providing both a skeletal role as well as determining many developmental processes that give rise to specialized plant structures. This article covers the molecular architecture of plant cell walls, especially as it relates to the process of cell expansion.