As the plant root grows, a root cap protects its fragile tip. Every few hours, the old cap is lost and a new one replaces it. This has puzzled scientists: how do cells at the tip know when to die, and ...

Time-lapse footage of a threadlike Arabidopsis root as it grows. Each fluorescent blue dot marks the nucleus of a cell that’s in the process of dividing to produce new cells, which will go on to form ...

LA JOLLA, CA--A family of proteins that sense mechanical force--and enable our sense of touch and many other important bodily functions--also are essential for proper root growth in some plants, ...

Upon first glance, plant roots seem distinct from animal guts. However, like the intestines, roots are responsible for nutrient acquisition, they interact with robust microbial communities, and both ...