title: Control of vein patterning by intracellular auxin transport.
abstract: The vein networks of plant leaves are among the most spectacular expressions of biological pattern, and the principles controlling their formation have continually inspired artists and scientists. Control of vein patterning by the polar, cell-to-cell transport of the plant signaling molecule auxin--mediated in Arabidopsis primarily by the plasma-membrane-localized PIN1--has long been known. By contrast, the existence of intracellular auxin transport and its contribution to vein patterning are recent discoveries. The endoplasmic-reticulum-localized PIN5, PIN6, and PIN8 of Arabidopsis define an intracellular auxin-transport pathway whose functions in vein patterning overlap with those of PIN1-mediated intercellular auxin transport. The genetic interaction between the components of the intracellular auxin-transport pathway is far from having been resolved. The study of vein patterning provides experimental access to gain such a resolution-a resolution that in turn holds the promise to improve our understanding of one of the most fascinating examples of biological pattern formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences; University of Alberta; Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Megan G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sawchuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences; University of Alberta; Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scarpella
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport; D019521:Body Patterning; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism*; D058526:Plant Vascular Bundle / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids
keywords: PIN genes; auxin transport inhibitors; functional redundancy; genetic enhancement; genetic suppression; indole-3-acetic acid (IAA); leaf development; procambium; vascular pattern formation; vascular strand differentiation