Abstract

web site: http://www.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/Haseloff

Morphogenesis is a cellular process, driven by interplay between gene expression and a growing network of cell interactions. Cells within a plant meristem form a complex non-linear system, and clearly possess self-organising properties. To date, molecular genetic tools have provided the greatest insight into the network of interactions that underly plant morphogenesis, and these have allowed the identification of key genes and pathways. However, these analyses do not provide an explicit description of the many parallel molecular, cellular and physical interactions between cells that characterise morphogenesis. In order to understand morphogenesis better, we have developed improved tools for (i) 3D visualisation of plant cells within intact tissues, (ii) reprogramming gene expression in live plants, and (iii) software modelling of physical and genetic interactions between cells during morphogenesis.

As well as using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, we have been developing a new experimental system based on a species of freshwater algae, Coleochaete orbicularis. Its simple 2D mode of growth reduces the complexity of possible interactions between cells, facilitates construction of morphogenetic models, and provides a testbed for analysis of cell networks and engineering of plant morphogenesis.