Monitoring and visualising plant cuticles by confocal laser scanning microscopy

The present work shows the visualisation of phenolics and flavonoids of plant cuticles by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Selected isolated fruit and leaf cuticles were monitored on the basis of autofluorescent phenolics and flavonoids which, in most cases, permitted us to obtain three-dimensional images of the cuticular membranes. The utility of this technique in investigations of cuticular translocation and diffusion of exogenous applied chemicals and cuticle degradation has also been explored.