Abstract

Both growth and tissue patterning are processes that occur continuously during plant life. A key question is how these are coordinated in space and time to generate plant shape and function. Hormones, notably auxin and cytokinin, play a central role in both growth and patterning, but the mechanisms through which they act are largely unknown. We use the early Arabidopsis embryo as a simple and highly predictable model in which growth and patterning are intricately coordinated. I will discuss our recent work aimed at understanding the cellular basis for the establishment of multicellular patterns in 3D, as well as its genetic control. I will describe our recent progress in identifying the genetic networks and cellular mechanisms that translate generic hormonal inputs to specific cellular outputs that define identity, growth and pattern formation in the early embryo.