Since more than 100 years the hierarchical organization and architecture of secondary plant cell walls has been under debate. Thus, its structure has been investigated using numerous microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Despite all these efforts, no conclusive picture exists on the exact arrangement of the cell wall constituents and the corresponding nano-mechanial properties.<br/>Open points span from discrepancies between individual species, over the distribution of cellulose fibrils to the interaction between cellulose and matrix components. Conflicting observations mainly arise from differences in sample preparation processes including embedding, staining, dehydration, microtome or freeze fracture, which can cause important alterations of the complex polymeric nature of the cell wall.<br/>Within the last 15 years, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), equipped with force spectroscopy modes, emerged as key method for the detailed characterization of plant cell walls at the nanoscale. The increasing interest is due to the non-damaging character of the technique and the requirement of minimal sample preparation, which minimizes the introduction of artefacts. In addition, recent developments in the field of force-distance curve mapping allow for simultaneous mapping of topographical, compositional and mechanical properties with nanometer resolution, providing new insight into the structure-function relationships of lignocellulosic materials<br/>Here, we address the most relevant experimental challenges and strategies in AFM to elucidate the nanostructure of secondary wood cell walls. Specific focus will be given to AFM-based force measurements and the related difficulties to deliver quantitative data on the mechanics at the nanoscale evidenced by the large discrepancy of mechanical values obtained by AFM in comparison to conventional Nanoindentation (NI). In addition we will highlight a new methodology, based on the visualization of the wood fibres in liquid medium, which allows the analysis of delignification processes. This strategy boosts our understanding on the three dimensional arrangement of the cellulose fibrils within secondary cell walls.

New developments and strategies for high resolution characterization of secondary plant cell walls by atomic force microscopy

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.