Pattern analysis of stem cell differentiation during in vitroArabidopsis organogenesis

Abstract

Plant somatic cells have the capability to switch their cell fates from differentiated to undifferentiated status under proper culture conditions, which is designated as totipotency. As a result, plant cells can easily regenerate new tissues or organs from a wide variety of explants. However, the mechanism by which plant cells have such remarkable regeneration ability is still largely unknown. In this study, we used a set of meristem-specific marker genes to analyze the patterns of stem cell differentiation in the processes of somatic embryogenesis as well as shoot or root organogenesis in vitro. Our studies furnish preliminary and important information on the patterns of the de novo stem cell differentiation during various types of in vitro organogenesis.

Key words： Organ regeneration; stem cell differentiation; WUS expression; WOX5 expression

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2007CB948200), and the National Natural Science Foundation (NNSF) of China (Grant Nos. 90917015 and 30770217).

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