Venus's Flytrap Observations by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Mozingo, Hugh N.; Klein, Phillip S.; Zeevi, Yehoshua Y.; Lewis, Edwin R.

doi:10.1002/j.1537-2197.1970.tb09853.x

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Structurally, trigger hairs consist of elongated cells forming a tapered filament ( figure 1 a ). This sits on top of a constricted region surrounded by vertical bands [ 1 ]. Mozingo et al [ 1 ] hypothesized that the constricted podium localizes bending to the region corresponding to the location of the sensory cells that propagate an action potential [ 32 ].…”

Section: Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Design principles of hair-like structures as biological machines

Seale

Cummins

Viola

et al. 2018

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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Hair-like structures are prevalent throughout biology and frequently act to sense or alter interactions with an organism's environment. The overall shape of a hair is simple: a long, filamentous object that protrudes from the surface of an organism. This basic design, however, can confer a wide range of functions, owing largely to the flexibility and large surface area that it usually possesses. From this simple structural basis, small changes in geometry, such as diameter, curvature and inter-hair spacing, can have considerable effects on mechanical properties, allowing functions such as mechanosensing, attachment, movement and protection. Here, we explore how passive features of hair-like structures, both individually and within arrays, enable diverse functions across biology. Understanding the relationships between form and function can provide biologists with an appreciation for the constraints and possibilities on hair-like structures. Additionally, such structures have already been used in biomimetic engineering with applications in sensing, water capture and adhesion. By examining hairs as a functional mechanical unit, geometry and arrangement can be rationally designed to generate new engineering devices and ideas.

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Section: Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…( a ) Scanning electron micrograph montage of a trigger hair of the Venus flytrap. Reprinted with permission from [ 1 ], copyright © 1970, John Wiley and Sons. ( b,c ) Finite-element simulation of Arabidopsis trichomes with differing material properties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design principles of hair-like structures as biological machines

Seale

Cummins

Viola

et al. 2018

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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“…The surface topography of this organ and other features of the trap were described by Mozingo et al (1970), using techniques of scanning electron microscopy. The trigger hair has been described as a two-part structure (Lloyd, 1942).…”

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confidence: 99%

The Fine Structure of the Trigger Hair in Venus's Flytrap

Williams

Mozingo

1971

American Journal of Botany

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“…We focused on the internal cellular morphology of the sensory cells and studied its influence on the kinematics behind mechanotransduction in the sensory hair. Prior to this, researchers have investigated the hair's internal structure [7,8,22]; however, these studies were based on microscopic observations and 2D TEM images, which are not sufficient to build a comprehensive 3D multi-scale model of the sensory hair. Therefore, we acquired µ-CT data of the hairs and parameterized the relevant geometric features needed to build our models.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinematics Governing Mechanotransduction in the Sensory Hair of the Venus flytrap

Saikia

Läubli

Burri

et al. 2020

IJMS

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Insects fall prey to the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) when they touch the sensory hairs located on the flytrap lobes, causing sudden trap closure. The mechanical stimulus imparted by the touch produces an electrical response in the sensory cells of the trigger hair. These cells are found in a constriction near the hair base, where a notch appears around the hair’s periphery. There are mechanosensitive ion channels (MSCs) in the sensory cells that open due to a change in membrane tension; however, the kinematics behind this process is unclear. In this study, we investigate how the stimulus acts on the sensory cells by building a multi-scale hair model, using morphometric data obtained from μ-CT scans. We simulated a single-touch stimulus and evaluated the resulting cell wall stretch. Interestingly, the model showed that high stretch values are diverted away from the notch periphery and, instead, localized in the interior regions of the cell wall. We repeated our simulations for different cell shape variants to elucidate how the morphology influences the location of these high-stretch regions. Our results suggest that there is likely a higher mechanotransduction activity in these ’hotspots’, which may provide new insights into the arrangement and functioning of MSCs in the flytrap.

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Venus's Flytrap Observations by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Cited by 16 publications

References 6 publications

Design principles of hair-like structures as biological machines

Design principles of hair-like structures as biological machines

The Fine Structure of the Trigger Hair in Venus's Flytrap

Kinematics Governing Mechanotransduction in the Sensory Hair of the Venus flytrap

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