Mechanisms in Plant Development

Intended for undergraduate and graduate courses in plant development, this book explains how the cells of a plant acquire and maintain their specific fates. Plant development is a continuous process occurring throughout the life cycle, with similar regulatory mechanisms acting at different stages and in different parts of the plant. Rather than focussing on the life cycle, the book is structured around these underlying mechanisms, using case studies to provide students with a framework to understand the many factors, both environmental and endogenous, that combine to regulate development and generate the enormous diversity of plant forms. New approach to the study of plant development and a refreshing look at this fast-moving area. Authors focus their discussion on the basic mechanisms which underpin plant development, tackling the fundamental question of how a single cell becomes a complex flowering plant from a cellular perspective. An up-to-date, modern text in plant development for advanced level undergraduates and postgraduates in plant science. Thought-provoking treatment of a difficult subject, the text will satisfy the needs of advanced level undergraduates and postgraduates in plant science. Experimental case studies throughout. The artwork from the book is available at blackwellpublishing.com/leyser

Intended for undergraduate and graduate courses in plantdevelopment, this book explains how the cells of a plant acquireand maintain their specific fates. Plant development is acontinuous process occurring throughout the life cycle, withsimilar regulatory mechanisms acting at different stages and indifferent parts of the plant. Rather than focussing on the lifecycle, the book is structured around these underlying mechanismsusing case studies to provide students with a framework tounderstand the many factors, both environmental and endogenousthat combine to regulate development and generate the enormousdiversity of plant forms.* * New approach to the study of plant development and a refreshinglook at this fast-moving area.* Authors focus their discussion on the basic mechanisms whichunderpin plant development, tackling the fundamental question ofhow a single cell becomes a complex flowering plant from a cellularperspective.* An up-to-date, modern text in plant development for advancedlevel undergraduates and postgraduates in plant science.* Thought-provoking treatment of a difficult subject, the textwill satisfy the needs of advanced level undergraduates andpostgraduates in plant science.* Experimental case studies throughout.* The artwork from the book is available atblackwellpublishing.com/leyser

Preface, viiiIntroduction, IXSources for Figures, xiChapter 1: An introduction to flowering plants, 1Alternation of generations, 1Gametophyte development, 1Development of the sporophyte, 3Further reading, 18Chapter 2: Characteristics of plant development, 19Plant cells, 19Larger patterns, 24Theoretical framework for the study of developmental mechanisms, 26Conclusions, 27Further reading, 27Chapter 3: Cell-intrinsic information, 29Lineage, 29Case study 3.1: Laser ablation of cells in the Arabidopsis root tip, 34Case study 3.2: Green-white-green periclinal chimeras, 36Case study 3.3: Mutations affecting division patterns, 39Relationship between age and position, 43Case study 3.4: Mutations affecting the rate of leaf initiation in Arabidopsis, 44Conclusions, 46Further reading, 46Chapter 4: Primary axis development, 48Embryonic axes, 48Case study 4.1: Longitudinal axis of the Fucus embryo, 49Case study 4.2: Longitudinal axis of the Arabidopsis embryo, 54Case study 4.3: Radial axis of the Arabidopsis embryo, 64Conclusions, 71Further reading, 71Chapter 5: Axis development in the leaf and flower, 74Leaves, 74Case study 5.1: Adaxial-abaxial axis of the leaf, 75Case study 5.2: Proximodistal axis of the leaf, 84Case study 5.3: Determinate nature of leaf development, 87Flowers, 91Case study 5.4: Radial axis of the flower, 92Case study 5.5: Adaxial-abaxial axis of the Antirrhinum flower, 100Conclusions, 104Further reading, 105Chapter 6: Position relative to a particular cell, tissue or organ, 110Case study 6.1: The pattern of trichomes on the Arabidopsis leaf, 111Case study 6.2: The pattern of root hairs in Arabidopsis, 116Case study 6.3: Phyllotaxy, 123Case study 6.4: Coordination of leaf and vascular development, 131Conclusions, 134Further reading, 134Chapter 7: Light, 138Light perception, 138Developmental responses to light, 143Case study 7.1: Light-induced germination, 143Case study 7.2: Seedling etiolation and photomorphogenesis, 146Case study 7.3: Shade escape, 151Case study 7.4: Phototropism, 154Case study 7.5: Photoperiodic control of flowering, 156Conclusions, 161Further reading, 161Chapter 8: Environmental information other than light, 165Case study 8.1: Gravitropism, 165Case study 8.2: Thigmomorphogenesis, 172Case study 8.3: Effects of uneven nutrient supply on root development, 177Case study 8.4: Vernalization, 180Conclusions, 186Further reading, 186Chapter 9: The coordination of development, 190Case study 9.1: Initiation and maintenance of the shoot apical meristem, 191Case study 9.2: Transition from embryonic to post-embryonic development, 200Case study 9.3: Phase transitions in post-germination development, 203Case study 9.4: Shoot branching, 213Conclusions, 219Further reading, 220Chapter 10: A comparison of plant and animal development, 224Control of cell fate, 225Development of pattern, 226Consequences of autotrophy versus heterotrophy, 229Conclusions, 230Further reading, 230Index, 233