Lineage-specific stem cells, signals and asymmetries during stomatal development.
Stomata are dispersed pores found in the epidermis of land plants that facilitate gas exchange for photosynthesis while minimizing water loss. Stomata are formed from progenitor cells, which execute a series of differentiation events and stereotypical cell divisions. The sequential activation of master regulatory basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors controls the initiation, proliferation and differentiation of stomatal cells. Cell-cell communication mediated by secreted peptides, receptor kinases, and downstream mitogen-activated kinase cascades enforces proper stomatal patterning, and an intrinsic polarity mechanism ensures asymmetric cell divisions. As we review here, recent studies have provided insights into the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that control stomatal development. These findings have also highlighted striking similarities between plants and animals with regards to their mechanisms of specialized cell differentiation.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Soon-Ki
SK
Han
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA ktorii@u.washington.edu.
Keiko U
KU
Torii
D000818:Animals; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology; D060049:Asymmetric Cell Division; D002450:Cell Communication; D019070:Cell Lineage; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
Asymmetric division; Epigenetic regulation of differentiation; Lineage-specific stem cells; Peptide signaling; Stomata; bHLH proteins