Unveiling the impact of embedding resins on the physicochemical traits of wood cell walls with subcellular functional probing

As pressing needs for exploring molecular interactions in plants soar, conventional sample preparation methods come into question. Though resins used to embed plant tissues have long been assumed bear no palpable effect on their properties, discrepancies recent studies exploiting nanoscale microscopy suggest that impact could be significant at small scales. By juxtaposing the traits of poplar sections prepared with and without embedding, we evaluate diffusion (penetration depth) acrylic epoxy commonly embedding. Our results unveil critical quantitative differences when probing mechanical properties a microscale nanoindentation indenter or tip. The latter resolves stiffness variations between compound middle lamellae, secondary cell wall layers S1 S2, corner, not accessible nanoindentation. Similar observations are drawn from comparing confocal Raman infrared spectroscopy. findings shed light resin suggesting LR White least diffusive studies.