title: Traffic monitors at the cell periphery: the role of cell walls during early female reproductive cell differentiation in plants.
abstract: The formation of female gametes in plants occurs within the ovule, a floral organ that is also the precursor of the seed. Unlike animals, plants lack a typical germline separated from the soma early in development and rely on positional signals, including phytohormones, mobile mRNAs and sRNAs, to direct diploid somatic precursor cells onto a reproductive program. In addition, signals moving between plant cells must overcome the architectural limitations of a cell wall which surrounds the plasma membrane. Recent studies have addressed the molecular and histological signatures of young ovule cells and indicate that dynamic cell wall changes occur over a short developmental window. These changes in cell wall properties impact signal flow and ovule cell identity, thereby aiding the establishment of boundaries between reproductive and somatic ovule domains.
authors: Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA 5064, Australia. Electronic address: matthew.tucker@adelaide.edu.au.
authors: Matthew R
authors: MR
authors: Tucker
authors: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Plant Industry, Hartley Grove, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA 5064, Australia.
authors: Anna M G
authors: AM
authors: Koltunow
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D056771:Ovule / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D063245:Plant Development / Q000502:physiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins