Plant cell walls, composed primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose and pectins, serve as dynamic structures that not only provide mechanical strength and protection but also regulate growth, ...

Using a new method to isolate and reprogram plant cells into other cell types, biologists explored how banding patterns that increase the stability of plant cell walls are created and how their ...

Mesophyll conductance, or the ease with which CO 2 can diffuse through a leaf’s cells before reaching the location where it undergoes carbon fixation, plays a key role in photosynthesis. CO 2 faces ...

Plants droop and shed their leaves when parched, but with a splash of water, their stems regain strength and their leaves unfurl. This dramatic transformation is a clear signal for us to reach for the ...

Imagine if our bodies could grow new organs throughout our entire lives. Plants do this constantly, thanks to the tiny, powerful reservoirs of stem cells. But how do these cells know when to divide, ...

Fungi are everywhere, and in many cases, a fungal infection can be eliminated by a person's immune system. But fungal infections can also send long hyphae into the body that are extremely difficult to ...

Antibiotic resistance is considered one of the most urgent health threats of our time. Common bacteria such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus are evolving defenses against the drugs doctors rely on ...

Banding patterns of cellulose increase the stability of plant cell walls, much like the corrugated patterns in cardboard. Penn State biologists developed a method to isolate plant cells and observe ...