Plant trichome. Confocal laser scanning micrograph of a trichome (leaf hair) on a Arabidopsis thaliana plant. Actin filaments in the trichome are green. Actin forms part of the cytoskeleton, which maintains the cells' shape, allows some cellular mobility and is involved in intracellular transport. Trichomes are outgrowths of a plant's epidermis, and their function and shape can vary, from reducing water loss to protecting against predators. Chloroplasts in the leaf surface are also green.