Imaging and genetic toolbox to study Arabidopsis embryogenesis

Abstract

Embryogenesis in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana provides a framework for understanding how cell polarity and patterning coordinate with hormonal signalling to establish the plant body plan. Following fertilisation, the zygote divides asymmetrically to generate apical and basal lineages, establishing the apical-basal axis that defines future shoot and root poles. Genetic and molecular analyses of classical mutants including gnom, monopteros (mp), bodenlos (bdl) and topless revealed that localised auxin biosynthesis, directional transport and downstream transcriptional responses are central to apical-basal axis establishment and organ initiation. The main components of this regulation are polarly localised PIN auxin transporters and downstream modules involving MONOPTEROS and WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX transcription factors. Advances in microscopy have transformed the study of Arabidopsis embryogenesis: fluorescence-compatible clearing reagents and three-dimensional reconstructions now permit quantitative analyses of cell geometry, division orientation, and cytoskeletal dynamics. Live ovule imaging setups with confocal laser scanning and multiphoton microscopes enable real-time observation of embryo development, while laser-assisted cell ablation can be used to probe cell-to-cell communication and fate plasticity. Together, these methodological breakthroughs position Arabidopsis embryos as a prime model for dissecting the chemical and biophysical cues that shape plant development.

Plant phenotyping relevance

胚発生を解析するための蛍光イメージング、三次元再構成、ライブ撮像などの方法論と定量的な細胞形態・分裂方向測定が中心であり、植物フェノタイピング手法に該当する。

Code and data availability

This is a review article on Arabidopsis embryogenesis imaging and genetic methods. The supplied blocks contain no public phenotype datasets, author image/sensor data, analysis code, trained models, or supplements with such assets; all cited works are prior publications, and no data or code availability statements with

No evidence-backed public reproduction asset is currently recorded.