Orientation of microfibrils and microtubules in developing tension-wood fibres of Japanese ash (Fraxinus mandshurica var. japonica)

The orientation of cellulose microfibrils (MFs) and the arrangement of cortical microtubules (MTs) in the developing tension-wood fibres of Japanese ash (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr. var. japonica Maxim.) trees were investigated by electron and immunofluorescence microscopy. The MFs were deposited at an angle of about 45° to the longitudinal axis of the fibre in an S-helical orientation at the initiation of secondary wall thickening. The MFs changed their orientation progressively, with clockwise rotation (viewed from the lumen side), from the S-helix until they were oriented approximately parallel to the fibre axis. This configuration can be considered as a semihelicoidal pattern. With arresting of rotation, a thick gelatinous (G-) layer was developed as a result of the repeated deposition of parallel MFs with a consistent texture. Two types of gelatinous fibre were identified on the basis of the orientation of MFs at the later stage of G-layer deposition. Microfibrils of type 1 were oriented parallel to the fibre axis; MFs of type 2 were laid down with counterclockwise rotation. The counterclockwise rotation of MFs was associated with a variation in the angle of MFs with respect to the fibre axis that ranged from 5° to 25° with a Z-helical orientation among the fibres. The MFs showed a high degree of parallelism at all stages of deposition during G-layer formation. No MFs with an S-helical orientation were observed in the G-layer. Based on these results, a model for the orientation and deposition of MFs in the secondary wall of tension-wood fibres with an S1 + G type of wall organization is proposed. The MT arrays changed progressively, with clockwise rotation (viewed from the lumen side), from an angle of about 35–40° in a Z-helical orientation to an angle of approximately 0° (parallel) to the fibre axis during G-layer formation. The parallelism between MTs and MFs was evident. The density of MTs in the developing tension-wood fibres during formation of the G-layer was about 17–18 per μm of wall. It appears that MTs with a high density play a significant role in regulating the orientation of nascent MFs in the secondary walls of wood fibres. It also appears that the high degree of parallelism among MFs is closely related to the parallelism of MTs that are present at a high density.