title: A conversation across generations: soma-germ cell crosstalk in plants.
abstract: Plants undergo alternation of generation in which reproductive cells develop in the plant body ("sporophytic generation") and then differentiate into a multicellular gamete-forming "gametophytic generation." Different populations of helper cells assist in this transgenerational journey, with somatic tissues supporting early development and single nurse cells supporting gametogenesis. New data reveal a two-way relationship between early reproductive cells and their helpers involving complex epigenetic and signaling networks determining cell number and fate. Later, the egg cell plays a central role in specifying accessory cells, whereas in both gametophytes, companion cells contribute non-cell-autonomously to the epigenetic landscape of the gamete genomes.
authors: Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, 211 Koshland Hall, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors: Xiaoqi
authors: X
authors: Feng
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Zilberman
authors: Hugh
authors: H
authors: Dickinson
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004171:Diploidy; D005718:Gametogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D055993:Germ Cells, Plant / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D006238:Haploidy; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics