Plant and Nematode Surfaces: Their Structure and Importance in Host-Parasite Interactions

The surface of animal parasitic nematodes has been well studied with respect to its immunological role in host-parasite interactions. However, very little information is available concerning plant parasitic nematode surfaces as primary sites of response to the host environment, and the way that they interact with plant cell wall components is not fully understood. This review examines the surfaces of both the plant cell and the nematode, specifically their composition, and how this changes during parasitism, and their functional roles, which are relevant to the understanding of both compatible and incompatible interactions. Finally, the methods that have been used to study both the plant extracellular matrix and the nematode cuticle are described and their various advantages and disadvantages are analysed.