Viruses reveal the secrets of plasmodesmal cell biology
Plasmodesmata (PD) (singular: plasmodesma) are highly specialized trans‒wall channels that function as gateways between cells. Plasmodesmata build connections between neighboring cells and facilitate the transport of macromolecules such as proteins, carbohydrates, ions, and RNA complexes: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), green fluorescent proteins, and RNA proteins between cells.
First, Plasmodesmata were discovered by Edward Tangl in 1885 and confirmed their presence in higher plants. Later, it is found that they are present in all green plants. They are characterized as communication channels that form long, cylindrical bridges that pass the cell wall of each cell and form connections.
Structure of Plasmodesmata
Plasmodesmata forms aqueous and cylindrical bridges that transverse the cell wall and builds an interconnected network in the whole plant.
Their diameter is approximately 40 nm. These junctions consist of three layers: the plasma membrane, the cytoplasmic sleeve, and a desmotubule. The desmotubule is a tube of the endoplasmic reticulum that runs between two adjacent cells.
