Lee Lab | Plasmodesmata

Intercellular communication is crucial for a multicellular organism to form, develop, and survive. In the animal kingdom, the gap junction provides a means for small signaling molecules to diffuse between neighboring cells. In the plant kingdom, this role is played by plasmodesmata.

Plasmodesmata are membrane-lined intercellular channels that provide both the endomembrane and symplasmic continuity between cells in the plant system. They play fundamental roles in coordinating physiological and developmental processes by facilitating the exchange of macromolecules such as proteins and protein/nucleic acid complexes as well as small signaling molecules. It is fascinating that plant viruses have exploited this unique pathway of macromolecular trafficking to spread their infectious materials throughout the whole plant. How plasmodesmata allow for the selective trafficking of certain macromolecules and what molecular players are involved in this process are some of the most puzzling questions in the field of plant biology.