Polar cell growth is essential in plants, but the way it integrates with nuclear movement, cytoskeletal organization, and cell mechanics is not fully understood. We conducted high-resolution live imaging of Arabidopsis thaliana root hairs throughout their development using a microfluidic device. We identified three distinct stages - fast growth, slow growth, and early maturation - and quantified growth kinetics at an unprecedented temporal resolution. The transition from fast to slow growth was consistent with cytoskeletal dynamics causing reduced tip growth and decreased nucleus–tip distance. Based on these observations, we developed a mathematical model linking cytoskeletal dynamics with tip growth and nuclear dynamics. Through genetic and pharmacological approaches, we could disrupt or trigger this transition, supporting the model and revealing an essential crosstalk between actin filaments and microtubules. Additionally, vacuole dynamics, root hair diameter, and cell stiffness changed during the fast-to-slow transition, indicating a coordinated regulation of multiple subcellular systems. Together, these results connect nuclear, cytoskeletal, and mechanical dynamics during root hair development, offering an integrated view of the subcellular processes behind the control of polar cell growth in plants.
Dupouy et al. (Sat,) studied this question.
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