Cell mechanics of pollen tube growth.

The pollen tube features particular traits that can only be understood when integrating cell biological with cell mechanical concepts. Firstly, regular temporal variations in the growth rate are governed by a feedback mechanism thought to involve mechanosensitive ion channels. Secondly, the tube uses invasive growth to penetrate the flower tissues with the aim to transport the male sperm cells to their target. Thirdly, the pollen tube is able to reorient its growth direction upon exposure to a guidance cue; the steering mechanism involves the sophisticated choreography of intracellular transport processes. Sophisticated imaging and micromanipulation techniques have been instrumental for the advancement in characterizing the biomechanical features of this crucial cell in the plant reproductive cycle.