The use of image analysis in observing mechanically deforming notched and un‐notched onion epidermal cellular structures

Abstract

The use of image analysis tools to study the deformation of cells in biological plant tissue is described. The tissue was taken from upper onion epidermal layers, chosen because they form a single structural layer and are relatively large and easy to work with. The paper describes image analysis techniques to investigate the structure of deforming notched and un-notched onion epidermal cellular structures and compares the influence of vertically and horizontally oriented cells. Image processing was used to track and quantify dimensions on a cell-by-cell basis. Changes in the cell size are described quantitatively as a function of time for tissues stretched parallel and perpendicular to the cell axis. Tissue orientation has a marked effect on cell deformation and failure for an edge-notched sample.