Elongation of the pollen tube in pistil is essential for delivering sperms into the female gametophyte in sexual plant reproduction. Recently, a group of cell wall enzymes, pectin methylesterases (PMEs), have been identified as playing an important role in this process. This article reviews the new understanding of the roles of PMEs in regulating pollen tube growth.Author for correspondence. Tel: +86 (0)10 6273 3798; Fax: +86 (0)10 6273 4839; E-mail: yede@cau.edu.cn