title: A quantitative analysis of stem cell homeostasis in the Arabidopsis columella root cap.
abstract: The Lugol's staining method has been widely used to detect changes in the maintenance of stem cell fate in the columella root cap of Arabidopsis roots since the late 1990s. However, various limitations of this method demand for additional or complementary new approaches. For instance, it is unable to reveal the division rate of columella root cap stem cells. Here we report that, by labeling dividing stem cells with 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), the number and distribution of their labeled progeny can be studied so that the division rate of stem cells can be measured quantitatively and in addition, that the progression of stem cell progeny differentiation can be assessed in combination with Lugol's staining. EdU staining takes few hours and visualization of the stain characteristics of columella root cap can be performed easily under confocal microscopes. This simple technology, when used together with Lugol's staining, provides a novel quantitative method to study the dynamics of stem cell behavior that govern homeostasis in the Arabidopsis columella root cap.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore ; NUS Centre for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore.
authors: Jing Han
authors: JH
authors: Hong
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore ; NUS Centre for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore.
authors: Huangwei
authors: H
authors: Chu
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore ; NUS Centre for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore.
authors: Chen
authors: C
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore ; NUS Centre for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore.
authors: Dipanjana
authors: D
authors: Ghosh
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore.
authors: Ximing
authors: X
authors: Gong
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore ; NUS Centre for BioImaging Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore.
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Xu
keywords: Arabidopsis; EdU staining; Lugol’s staining; columella root cap; stem cell homeostasis