Evans Review No. 3: Structure–function relationships of the plant cuticle and cuticular waxes — a smart material?

Hendrik Bargel; Kerstin Koch; Zdenek Cerman; Christoph Neinhuis

doi:10.1071/FP06139

REVIEW

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Evans Review No. 3: Structure–function relationships of the plant cuticle and cuticular waxes — a smart material?

Hendrik Bargel ^A ^C , Kerstin Koch ^B , Zdenek Cerman ^B and Christoph Neinhuis ^A ^D

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Institut für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresen, Zellescher Weg 22, 01062 Dresden, Germany.

^B Nees-Institut für Biodiversität der Pflanzen, Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 170, 53115 Bonn, Germany.

^C Present address: Biotechnical Center, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Petersenstraße 20, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.

^D Corresponding author. Email: christoph.neinhuis@tu-dresden.de

^E This paper is part of The Evans Review Series, named for Dr Lloyd Evans. The series contains reviews that are critical, state-of-the-art evaluations that aim to advance our understanding, rather than being exhaustive compilations of information, and are written by invitation.

^F This paper is dedicated to Prof. Wilhelm Barthlott on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

Functional Plant Biology 33(10) 893-910 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP06139
Submitted: 30 May 2006 Accepted: 18 August 2006 Published: 2 October 2006

Abstract

The cuticle is the main interface between plants and their environment. It covers the epidermis of all aerial primary parts of plant organs as a continuous extracellular matrix. This hydrophobic natural composite consists mainly of the biopolymer, cutin, and cuticular lipids collectively called waxes, with a high degree of variability in composition and structure. The cuticle and cuticular waxes exhibit a multitude of functions that enable plant life in many different terrestrial habitats and play important roles in interfacial interactions. This review highlights structure–function relationships that are the subjects of current research activities. The surface waxes often form complex crystalline microstructures that originate from self-assembly processes. The concepts and results of the analysis of model structures and the influence of template effects are critically discussed. Recent investigations of surface waxes by electron and X-ray diffraction revealed that these could be assigned to three crystal symmetry classes, while the background layer is not amorphous, but has an orthorhombic order. In addition, advantages of the characterisation of formation of model wax types on a molecular scale are presented. Epicuticular wax crystals may cause extreme water repellency and, in addition, a striking self-cleaning property. The principles of wetting and up-to-date concepts of the transfer of plant surface properties to biomimetic technical applications are reviewed. Finally, biomechanical studies have demonstrated that the cuticle is a mechanically important structure, whose properties are dynamically modified by the plant in response to internal and external stimuli. Thus, the cuticle combines many aspects attributed to smart materials.

Keywords: AFM, anti-adhesive surfaces, biomimetics, biopolymer, epicuticular waxes, Lotus-Effect^®, mechanical properties, plant cuticle, self-assembly, structure–function relationships, template effect.

Acknowledgments

Funding of the author’s research by several grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) and Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU) is gratefully acknowledged. The authors thank Peter Wagner, Rhenotherm AG, for the picture of the metal foil with honey droplets.

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