Cell biology features and gene expression programs modulating cell expansion during root organ growth

Abstract

Diffuse cell expansion mainly in the longitudinal axis of the organ significantly contributes to root organ growth. Root cell expansion is a diverse, plastic, and dynamic process, as each cell expands at specific rates and directions according to its developmental stage and in response to different ambient conditions, helping to shape the root system architecture. In this review, we focus on Arabidopsis thaliana to summarize the modes and magnitudes of cell expansion in both meristematic and postmitotic root cells and assess recent advances in the understanding of the transitions required for cell expansion to occur. We also elaborate on the gene expression programs that control the forces, the biochemical and the molecular mechanisms that determine cell expansion, and finally, on how variations in the magnitude and distribution of this process contribute to root adaptation to the environment.