Organisms experience mechanical forces at molecular level, cellular level, and organ level and respond to them throughout their life. In morphogenesis, to elaborate a particular shape with cells and tissues, changing mechanical properties of cells and tissues is required. In turn, the mechanical signals derived from deformed cells and tissues feedback to regulate morphogenesis.

Plant cells are encased in stiff yet malleable cell walls. Shape and growth of plant cells are determined by interplay between the cell’s tugor pressure and the cell wall. In this paper, the authors found that mechanical properties differed between fast- and slow-growing areas in the shoot apical meristem through quantitative live imaging of surface cells at tomato shoot apex. In the lecture, I will introduce this paper and discuss about mechanical feedback-loop regulation and morphogenesis through presenting recent findings related to mechanosensing putative factors and remodeling factors of cell walls.