Postmitotic ‘isodiametric’ cell growth in the maize root apex

Abstract

The onset of rapid cell elongation occurred at different distances from the apex in various tissues of the primary root of maize (Zea mays L.). Furthermore, the comparison of these distances with those determined for the cessation of mitotic divisions revealed a considerable discrepancy. The onset of rapid cell elongation was realized much farther from the root apex than the cessation of cell divisions and therefore a distinct region could be distinguished in every examined maize root tissue. This region was denoted the region of postmitotic ‘isodiametric’ cell growth. Cells in this region grew in width as well as in length and obtained approximately a square-isodiametric shape. They were also characterized, as are cells in the meristem, by intense nucleic-acid metabolism. This prominent postmitotic ‘isodiametric’ cell growth was observed in both polyploid and diploid tissues, and indicates that postmitotic ‘isodiametric’ cell growth, like mitotic division and cell elongation growth, represents an important developmental stage in plant cell ontogeny.