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Updated: May 3, 2026
06:46
Confocal Live Imaging of Shoot Apical Meristems from Different Plant Species
Published on: March 29, 2019
12.2K
Regulation of axillary shoot development.
Bart J Janssen1, Revel S M Drummond1, Kimberley C Snowden1
1The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Private Bag 92169, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
Current Opinion in Plant Biology
|February 11, 2014
Summary
Plant architecture is shaped by axillary meristems. Brassinosteroid and strigolactone signaling, along with environmental factors, control their development into branches.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Hormone Signaling
Background:
- Axillary meristems form in leaf axils and are crucial for plant architecture.
- Their controlled growth into branches is a key developmental process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in understanding axillary meristem initiation and outgrowth.
- To highlight the roles of key signaling pathways in regulating branch development.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on plant hormone signaling and meristem development.
- Analysis of genetic and molecular studies implicating specific signaling pathways.
Main Results:
- Brassinosteroid signaling is implicated in axillary meristem formation.
- Strigolactone signaling, responsive to environmental cues, is critical for meristem outgrowth.
- Interactions between auxins, cytokinins, and strigolactones regulate axillary shoot development.
Conclusions:
- Plant hormone signaling networks intricately control axillary meristem development.
- Understanding these pathways provides insights into regulating plant architecture.
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