Changes in microtubule organization and wall microfibril orientation during in vitro cotton fiber development: an immunofluorescent study

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Abstract
Cotton fibers provide an excellent system to study how cortical microtubule arrays are established and the relationship between microtubule organization and wall microfibril deposition. Throughout development, cotton fibers maintain highly organized arrays of microtubules. For the first 15–18 days postanthesis microtubules are oriented transverse to the cell long axis. Older fibers contain microtubule arrays that are organized in a spiral pattern. The switch from transverse to spiral appears to be coordinated along the entire cell length since cells do not simultaneously contain both arrays. Older fibers also exhibit abrupt reversals in microtubule orientation. Reversals occur in two different forms that may represent a developmental sequence in the establishment of reversal regions. Throughout development, the cotton fiber walls exhibit increasing amounts of birefringence. In all cases, the most recently deposited wall microfibrils parallel the cortical microtubules.