Structural variations of cell walls in three potato cultivars: Spatial distribution and assembly of cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin.
- 2026-05
- International journal of biological macromolecules 362
- Xiaoyu Chen
- Hui Zhang
- Xiaowei Shi
- Jianhui Xiao
- Ling Zhu
- PubMed: 42031250
- DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.152122
Study Design
- Methods
- systematic comparison of multiscale structural properties of cell walls in three potato varieties using specific staining, autofluorescence, SEM, N2 adsorption-desorption, TEM, and AFM
- Funding
- Unclear
Potato cell walls may exert a cultivar-dependent inhibitory effect on intracellular starch digestion. This study systematically compared the multiscale structural properties of cell walls in three distinct potato varieties: Xi Sen No.1 (XS, rich in cellulose), Zhong Shu Zao No. 39 (ZZ, rich in pectin), and Zhong Shu Hong No. 3 (ZH, balanced composition). Specific staining and autofluorescence identified the spatial distribution of the cellulose/hemicellulose framework, pectin matrix, and polyphenols in the three cell walls. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy showed fewer and smaller pores across various layers of XS cell wall, while N2 adsorption-desorption tests indicated a higher surface area (1.8603 m2/g) and total pore volume (0.004146 cm3/g) in the ZZ cell wall. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the alternating dense and loose layers were stacked in all cell walls, with the greatest thickness (~6 μm) in XS cell wall. Atomic force microscopy revealed nanoscale cellulose microfibril bundles: dense woven-interlaced (~196.90 nm) in XS cell wall, irregular interwoven (~124.18 nm) in ZH cell wall, and parallel extended (~119.56 nm) in ZZ cell wall, all linked by hemicellulose to form a dense skeleton. These findings highlight pronounced microstructural heterogeneity and support further investigation into cell wall function.