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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Confocal Live Imaging of Shoot Apical Meristems from Different Plant Species

Confocal Live Imaging of Shoot Apical Meristems from Different Plant Species

Published on: March 29, 2019

Shoot apical meristem form and function.

Chan Man Ha¹, Ji Hyung Jun, Jennifer C Fletcher

¹Plant Gene Expression Center, USDA/UC Berkeley, Albany, California, USA.

Current Topics in Developmental Biology

|August 14, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The shoot apical meristem (SAM) maintains plant growth by balancing stem cell renewal and organ formation. New molecular and computational techniques are advancing our understanding of these complex signaling networks.

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Area of Science:

Plant biology
Developmental biology
Genetics

Background:

The shoot apical meristem (SAM) is crucial for generating aerial organs in plants throughout their life.
SAM function relies on maintaining a balance between stem cell self-renewal and organ initiation.
Complex signaling networks, including plant hormones and gene regulation, control SAM activity.

Purpose of the Study:

To summarize recent advancements in understanding shoot apical meristem (SAM) function.
To explore the regulatory mechanisms governing stem cell populations in SAM and floral meristems (FMs).
To integrate new molecular and computational techniques with traditional genetics for a comprehensive framework of SAM function.

Main Methods:

Review of recent molecular and computational techniques applied to SAM research.
Integration of data from traditional molecular genetics methodologies.
Analysis of signaling networks, including feedback loops and plant hormone pathways.

Main Results:

SAM activity is dynamically controlled by overlapping signaling networks involving gene regulation and plant hormones.
Organ initiation requires multifactor gene regulatory networks and auxin signaling.
Floral meristem (FM) regulation shares pathways with SAM but includes floral-specific factors.

Conclusions:

Recent studies have significantly advanced the understanding of SAM and FM function.
The integration of novel techniques with established methods provides a robust framework for studying plant development.
Understanding SAM regulation is key to comprehending plant growth and reproduction.