title: Polarity and signalling in plant embryogenesis.
abstract: The establishment of the apical-basal axis is a critical event in plant embryogenesis, evident from the earliest stages onwards. Polarity is evident in the embryo sac, egg cell, zygote, and embryo-suspensor complex. In the embryo-proper, two functionally distinct meristems form at each pole, through the localized expression of key genes. A number of mutants, notably of the model genetic organism Arabidopsis thaliana, have revealed new gene functions that are required for patterning of the apical-basal axis. There is now increasing evidence that two particular modes of signalling, via auxin and cell wall components, play important roles in co-ordinating the gene expression programmes that define determinative roles in the establishment of polarity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Souter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lindsey
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D019521:Body Patterning; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000502:physiology; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000502:physiology; D012639:Seeds / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D007210:Indoleacetic Acids