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Chimeric patterns in Juniperus chinensis 'Torulosa Variegata' (Cupressaceae) expressed during leaf and stem formation
1Department of Biology, Bellarmine University, Louisville, Kentucky 40205 USA.
American Journal of Botany
|June 14, 2011
Summary
Sectoral chimeras in Hollywood juniper leaves reveal internal cellular organization. This study estimates the number and arrangement of founder cells in the plant
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Developmental botany
- Chimerism studies
Background:
- Sectorial chimeras are observed in the juvenile leaves of Juniperus chinensis 'Torulosa Variegata'.
- These chimeras present as variable width/length sectors and internal streaks, indicating complex cellular patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the sectorial chimeras in Hollywood juniper leaves.
- To estimate the number and arrangement of founder cells in the plant's shoot apex based on chimera sizes.
Main Methods:
- Microscopic observation of leaf sectors in variegated Hollywood juniper.
- Analysis of sector sizes to infer founder cell number and arrangement.
- Comparison of sectoring patterns in leaves and axillary branches.
Main Results:
- Juvenile leaves exhibit sectorial chimeras of varying sizes, some as small as 1/24 leaf circumference.
- Internal chimeras occupy less than 1/20 of the leaf's cross-sectional area.
- An estimated 168 founder cells (63 tunica, 105 corpus) form these sectors.
- Outer founder cells may form arcs around the stem apex, suggesting a specific shoot organization.
Conclusions:
- The cellular structure of Juniperus chinensis 'Torulosa Variegata' involves distinct founder cell populations contributing to leaf variegation.
- The arrangement of tunica and corpus cells provides insights into the developmental patterns of chimeric sectors.
- Hypothesized founder cell arrangement at the stem apex offers a model for understanding shoot development in this species.
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