BNMC seminar - Dissecting dynamics of shoot stem cells in Arabidopsis Thaliana

Vijay Chickarmane
Senior Postdoctoral Scholar in Biology
Caltech

The above-ground tissues of many plants are generated from shoot stem cells.  The shoot apical meristem, which houses these stem cells, provides a very dynamic environment. On the one hand it is a veritable fountain of youth, as it continuously provides differentiated cells which form the leaves and floral organs, while on the other hand, the number of stem cells is homeostatically maintained throughout development.

Recent experiments have shown that such tight and robust regulation of stem cell maintenance is achieved through interactions with neighboring cell populations. Other data suggests that hormones are also involved in maintaining homeostasis. In this talk I will report on ongoing experiments and computational modeling which is aimed at unraveling these mechanisms, and provide a view of the fascinating dynamics which takes place in the shoot apical meristem.