Plant glandular trichomes are able to secrete and store large amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs typically accumulate in dedicated extracellular spaces, which can be either subcuticular, as in the Lamiaceae or Asteraceae, or intercellular, as in the Solanaceae. Volatiles are retained at high concentrations in these storage cavities with limited release into the atmosphere and without re-entering the secretory cells, where they would be toxic. This implies the existence of mechanisms allowing transport of VOCs to the cavity but preventing their diffusion out once they have been delivered. The cuticle and cell wall lining the cavity are likely to have key roles in retaining volatiles, but their exact composition and the potential molecular players involved are largely unknown.

植物的腺毛能够分泌和储存大量的挥发性有机化合物（VOC）。VOC通常在专用的细胞外空间中积累，这些空间可以是表皮下的（如唇形科或菊科），也可以是胞间的（如茄形科）。挥发物以高浓度保留在这些储存腔中，并有限地释放到大气中，而又不会重新进入分泌细胞，而在这些分泌细胞中它们会是有毒的。这意味着存在允许将VOC传输到腔体但防止它们在被释放后扩散出去的机制。留在腔中的表皮和细胞壁可能在保留挥发物方面起关键作用，但是它们的确切组成和涉及的潜在分子参与者在很大程度上尚不清楚。