Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenuenida Universidad 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico.
Jardín Botánico, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, CDMX, Mexico.
Funct Plant Biol. 2020 Apr;47(5):383-397. doi: 10.1071/FP19144.
The root is the main organ through which water and mineral nutrients enter the plant organism. In addition, root fulfils several other functions. Here, we propose that the root also performs the barrier function, which is essential not only for plant survival but for plant acclimation and adaptation to a constantly changing and heterogeneous soil environment. This function is related to selective uptake and avoidance of some soil compounds at the whole plant level. We review the toolkit of morpho-anatomical, structural, and other components that support this view. The components of the root structure involved in selectivity, permeability or barrier at a cellular, tissue, and organ level and their properties are discussed. In consideration of the arguments supporting barrier function of plant roots, evolutionary aspects of this function are also reviewed. Additionally, natural variation in selective root permeability is discussed which suggests that the barrier function is constantly evolving and is subject of natural selection.
根是植物吸收水分和矿物质养分的主要器官。此外，根还具有其他几种功能。在这里，我们提出根还具有屏障功能，这对于植物的生存以及对不断变化和异质土壤环境的适应和调整都是至关重要的。这个功能与在整个植株水平上选择性地吸收和避免某些土壤化合物有关。我们回顾了支持这种观点的形态解剖学、结构和其他组成部分的工具包。讨论了参与细胞、组织和器官水平选择性、通透性或屏障的根结构组成部分及其特性。考虑到支持植物根屏障功能的论点，还回顾了该功能的进化方面。此外，还讨论了选择性根通透性的自然变异，这表明屏障功能是不断进化的，是自然选择的对象。
