membrane-trafficking
Membrane trafficking is the process by which cells use small membrane-bound vesicles to sort, transport, and deliver proteins and other molecules between organelles and to the cell surface. In plants, this system is essential for directing cell wall components, hormones, and defense molecules to precise locations, enabling processes like directional growth, nutrient uptake, and responses to pathogens. Understanding how plants regulate vesicle movement offers insights into how they develop their complex architectures and adapt to environmental stresses.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-05-01
A plant cell biologist at The Chinese University of Hong Kong reflects on 25 years of research into how plant cells manage internal compartments—especially vacuoles—and how those compartments communicate, form, and recycle material. The work uses cutting-edge microscopy to reveal nanoscale structures inside living plant cells.
Over 25 years, the lab trained 40 PhD students, 18 MPhil students, and 34 postdoctoral researchers, building significant institutional capacity in plant cell biology.
The research group established advanced electron microscopy and live-cell imaging shared platforms since 2015, enabling nanometer-resolution views of plant membrane structures.
Whole-cell electron tomography and Cryo-ET/FIB technologies were applied to reveal near-native 3D structures of transport vesicles, extracellular vesicles, and vacuoles in plants.