Cellular dissection of the degradation pattern of cortical cell death during aerenchyma formation of rice roots

Cellular events which occur prior to cell collapse were examined in the root cortex of rice (Oryza sativa L.) during aerenchyma formation. Cell collapse started at a specific position in the mid cortex. These cells were distinct in shape from those located towards the periphery. Furthermore, cell collapse was preceded by acidification and the loss of plasma-membrane integrity in cells of the mid cortex. Subsequent death of neighboring cells followed a radial path. Microinjection of molecules of different sizes conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) showed a molecular exclusion limit of between 9.3 and 19.6 kDa in the root cortex. Furthermore, large molecules, i.e. those around 9.3 kDa, were predominantly transferred in a radial direction, which coincided with the path of sequential cell death.