An Organ-On-A-Chip Approach For Investigating Root-Environment Interactions In Heterogeneous Conditions

The study introduced the dual-flow-RootChip (dfRootChip), a microfluidic organ-on-a-chip platform designed to investigate how Arabidopsis roots interact with their environment under heterogeneous conditions. This platform allowed for asymmetric perfusion, enabling researchers to study root guidance, physiological and developmental responses, molecular uptake, and selective treatments. The researchers observed calcium responses in roots exposed to various biotic and abiotic elicitors, noting specific signal propagation from treated to untreated cells. Importantly, they found evidence of non-autonomous positive regulation of hair growth when roots were exposed to unfavorable conditions on one side, highlighting the lateral coordination of morphological adaptation. This approach provided insights into root physiology, signaling, and development in complex environments.