d Background and aims Much recent study of plant trichomes has focused on various aspects of glandular secreting trichomes (GSTs) and differentiation of simple trichomes. This Botanical Brie®ng will highlight: - research on various aspects of, and manipulation of glandular secreting trichomes; - molecular aspects of the differentiation and development of simple trichomes of arabidopsis and cotton; - how methods for manipulation of model systems used in the above work can be applied to expand our understanding of less studied surface structures of plants. d Scope The Brie®ng will cover: - established and suggested roles of simple and glandular secreting trichomes; - recent results regarding solute and ion movement in trichomes; - methods for isolating trichomes; - recent studies of trichome differentiation and development; - attempts to modify metabolism in secreting trichomes; - efforts to exploit trichomes for commercial and agronomic purposes