Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
08:53
Isolation and Transcriptome Analysis of Plant Cell Types
Published on: April 7, 2023
Global studies of cell type-specific gene expression in plants
David W Galbraith1, Kenneth Birnbaum
1Department of Plant Sciences and Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA. galbraith@arizona.edu
Annual Review of Plant Biology
|May 4, 2006
Summary
Global transcriptional studies in plants reveal cell-specific gene expression. Researchers used microarrays and cell sorting to find that much of the plant transcriptome is compartmentalized, with unique transcripts in specific cell types.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Molecular biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Advancements in expression profiling and tissue collection enable cell-level transcriptional studies in plants.
- Microarray technology is established, with platforms for rice and Arabidopsis, and expressed sequence tag (EST)-based designs for other species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the transcriptional landscape at the individual cell level in plants.
- To understand cell-specific gene expression patterns and their functional implications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized microarray technology (cDNA or oligo-based slides).
- Employed microdissection and cell sorting for isolating specific cell types.
- Performed global transcriptional profiling on minute tissue quantities.
Main Results:
- Significant compartmentalization of the plant transcriptome was observed.
- A small but consistent percentage of transcripts were found to be unique to specific cell types.
- Cell-specific gene expression patterns provided insights into cell-specific functions.
Conclusions:
- Spatial dissection of the transcriptome reveals cell-specific gene functions.
- Insights into localized hormone mediators and cell-specific microRNA effects are emerging.
- Transcriptome compartmentalization is a key feature of plant cell biology.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:58Cell Specific Gene Expression
Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
01:58Cell Specific Gene Expression
Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
02:11Reporter Genes
Reporter genes are a type of protein-coding gene that are often tagged to a gene of interest. Once inside a target cell, reporter genes usually produce visually identifiable characteristics like fluorescence and luminescence when expressed along with the gene of interest. Thus, reporter genes “report” the presence or absence of genes of interest in an organism, determine the gene expression pattern, or track the physical location of a DNA segment or protein in the cell.
Commonly used reporter...
Commonly used reporter...
02:50Transgenic Plants
Recombinant DNA technology called transgenesis is often used to add a foreign gene or remove a detrimental gene from an organism. Such genetically modified organisms are called transgenic organisms.
The first-ever transgenic plant was a tobacco plant developed in 1983 that showed resistance against the tobacco mosaic virus. Since then, many transgenic plants have been developed and commercialized for improving the agricultural, ornamental, and horticultural value of a crop plant. Transgenic...
The first-ever transgenic plant was a tobacco plant developed in 1983 that showed resistance against the tobacco mosaic virus. Since then, many transgenic plants have been developed and commercialized for improving the agricultural, ornamental, and horticultural value of a crop plant. Transgenic...
02:19Morphogenesis
Plant morphogenesis—the development of a plant’s form and structure—involves several overlapping developmental processes, including growth and cell differentiation. Precursor cells differentiate into specific cell types, which are organized into the tissues and organ systems that make up the functional plant.