The cell biology of wood formation: from cambial divisions to mature secondary xylemThis review is one of a selection of papers published in the Special Issue on Plant Cell Biology.

Abstract

The development of secondary xylem has been studied historically from an anatomical point of view, but recent developments in cell and molecular biology have revitalized this field. An integrated view of cell structure with physiology is emerging for each stage of the developing xylem cells’ lives, from birth in the cambium to programmed cell death. High-quality structural information is essential in building this type of integrated view, but conventional electron microscopy of developing wood cells has been problematic. The importance of adequately preserving cells of the secondary vascular system is illustrated with examples from dormant cambium, cell division, and secondary cell wall deposition. In many cases, contemporary gene expression studies can be viewed in the context of both new structural information and pioneering live cell studies done in the early 1900s to increase our understanding of secondary xylem development.