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How Do Plant Cells Talk to Each Other
Communication between cells is the foundation of multicellular life. In plants, this communication takes on a remarkable form: the cytoplasm, plasma membrane, and even the endoplasmic reticulum are continuous between cells, through the membrane-lined bridges called plasmodesmata.
These tiny channels—just ~30 nanometers wide—thread through the cell wall and link nearly every cell throughout the plant body. A single cell can be connected to its neighbors by hundreds of plasmodesmata, forming a dense, adaptable network for direct molecular exchange. RNAs, proteins, hormones, metabolites—all flow through this living circuitry. Virtually every calosie we consume has passed through plasmodesmata. Without this communication system, there would be no tissue coordination, no cell specialization, no coordinated defense against pathogen, no environmental adaptation—no plant life as we know it, and no food on our plates.
These tiny channels—just ~30 nanometers wide—thread through the cell wall and link nearly every cell throughout the plant body. A single cell can be connected to its neighbors by hundreds of plasmodesmata, forming a dense, adaptable network for direct molecular exchange. RNAs, proteins, hormones, metabolites—all flow through this living circuitry. Virtually every calosie we consume has passed through plasmodesmata. Without this communication system, there would be no tissue coordination, no cell specialization, no coordinated defense against pathogen, no environmental adaptation—no plant life as we know it, and no food on our plates.
What we study?
We focus on the how and why of plant cell-to-cell communication through plasmodesmata. The question we ask in the lab are diverse and anchored into :
How intercellular communication guide collective decision making?
How tissue self-organise through coordinated information flow?
How are these membrane junctions remodeled to open, close, or change function?
What role do they play in stress response and plant environmental adaptation ?
What are the physics behind transport across plasmodesmata?
How tissue self-organise through coordinated information flow?
How are these membrane junctions remodeled to open, close, or change function?
What role do they play in stress response and plant environmental adaptation ?
What are the physics behind transport across plasmodesmata?
Why it matters ?
We study plasmodesmata not just for what they are—but for what they make possible. Understanding how plant cells communicate could open up new ways to:
Defining new principle of multicellularity
Rethink plant development from a systems perspective
Increase plant resilience to environmental stress
Push boundaries—conceptual, technical, and disciplinary.
Rethink plant development from a systems perspective
Increase plant resilience to environmental stress
Push boundaries—conceptual, technical, and disciplinary.
More than cell biology
We believe that addressing the complexity of intercellular communication requires more than cell biology alone. Our lab operates at the intersection of:Cell biology and plant development, Membrane biophysics , Quantitative imaging and modeling, Theoretical physics & chemistry, Molecular dynamic simulations. This interdisciplinary strategy is essential—not optional. Plasmodesmata are physical structures, shaped by mechanical constraints, chemical signals, and evolutionary pressures. No single lens is sufficient.
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We believe that addressing the complexity of intercellular communication requires more than cell biology alone. Our lab operates at the intersection of:Cell biology and plant development, Membrane biophysics , Quantitative imaging and modeling, Theoretical physics & chemistry, Molecular dynamic simulations. This interdisciplinary strategy is essential—not optional. Plasmodesmata are physical structures, shaped by mechanical constraints, chemical signals, and evolutionary pressures. No single lens is sufficient.
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Our work thrives in active and fruitful collaboration with:
Antoine Taly (Université Paris, France) – Theoretical chemistry Molecular dynamics
Fabio Sterpone (Université Paris, France) – Physics of biomolecules mouvement
Felix Campelo (ICFO Barcelona, Spain) – Theoretical BioPhysics Membrane modeling
Kaare Jensen (DTU Denmark) – Soft Matter bioPhysics Fluid dynamics
Laurent Cognet (Bordeaux, France) – BioPhotonic Single-molecule imaging
Yvon Jaillais (ENS Lyon, France) – Lipid in development
Niko Geldner & Christel Genoud (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) – Cryo-Electron microscopy
Fabio Sterpone (Université Paris, France) – Physics of biomolecules mouvement
Felix Campelo (ICFO Barcelona, Spain) – Theoretical BioPhysics Membrane modeling
Kaare Jensen (DTU Denmark) – Soft Matter bioPhysics Fluid dynamics
Laurent Cognet (Bordeaux, France) – BioPhotonic Single-molecule imaging
Yvon Jaillais (ENS Lyon, France) – Lipid in development
Niko Geldner & Christel Genoud (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) – Cryo-Electron microscopy
This network enables us to build bridges across disciplines, just as plasmodesmata build bridges across cells.
We are funded by
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