Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 24, 2026
06:46
Confocal Live Imaging of Shoot Apical Meristems from Different Plant Species
Published on: March 29, 2019
13.1K
Time-Lapse Imaging of Developing Shoot Meristems Using A Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope
Olivier Hamant1, Pradeep Das2, Agata Burian3
1Laboratoire de Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, ENS de Lyon, INRA, CNRS, Lyon, France. olivier.hamant@ens-lyon.fr.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|June 1, 2019
Summary
This study details methods for preparing plant shoot apices for live imaging. Researchers can now better observe meristematic cell dynamics and shape changes using confocal microscopy.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Cell biology
- Microscopy
Background:
- Meristem shape and gene expression are crucial for plant development.
- Live imaging techniques have advanced the study of meristematic cells.
- Understanding molecular and biophysical mechanisms of meristem shape changes is ongoing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a detailed protocol for preparing shoot apices for live imaging.
- To enable time-lapse observation of meristematic cells in Arabidopsis and tomato.
- To facilitate research into the dynamic processes governing meristem shape.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of shoot apices from Arabidopsis and tomato.
- Utilizing confocal microscopy with a long distance water-dipping lens.
- Implementing time-lapse imaging techniques for dynamic observation.
Main Results:
- A reproducible protocol for preparing plant shoot apices for live imaging.
- Successful time-lapse imaging of meristematic cells in intact plant tissues.
- Demonstration of the utility of confocal microscopy for studying meristem dynamics.
Conclusions:
- The described method allows for detailed observation of meristematic cell behavior over time.
- This protocol supports further investigation into the molecular and biophysical regulation of plant growth.
- Advanced imaging techniques enhance our understanding of plant development and tissue morphogenesis.
Keywords:
Cell growthConfocal laser scanning microscopyDevelopmentShoot apical meristemTime-lapse and live imagingMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:36Meristems and Plant Growth
49.3K
Plants grow throughout their lives; this is called indeterminate growth, and it distinguishes plants from most animals. Although certain parts of plants stop growing (e.g., leaves and flowers), others grow continuously—like roots and stems.
49.3K
03:02Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots
60.3K
Vascular plants, which account for over 90% of the Earth’s vegetation, all undergo primary growth—which lengthens roots and shoots. Many land plants, notably woody plants, also undergo secondary growth—which thickens roots and shoots.
60.3K
01:12Voltammetric Techniques: Linear-Scan (E vs Time)
1.1K
Polarography is a classical voltammetric technique used to analyze electrochemical reactions. This method applies a linear potential sweep to a dropping mercury electrode (DME), and the resulting current is measured. A dropping mercury electrode is commonly used as the working electrode in polarography. It consists of a capillary tube filled with mercury, where the tiny droplet forms at the tip. This droplet continuously drops from the capillary, creating a new electrode surface for each...
1.1K
02:28Leaky Scanning
5.7K
During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA. Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R...
5.7K
01:16Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy
20.1K
Confocal microscopy is an advanced microscopic technique. The prime advantage of the confocal microscope over other microscopy techniques is its ability to block the out-of-focus light from the illuminated samples using pinholes. It is widely used with fluorescence optics to obtain high-resolution, sharp contrast images. Unlike optical microscopes, confocal microscopes use a focused beam of light laser to scan the entire sample surface at different z-planes. These microscopes are, therefore,...
20.1K
01:07Scanning Electron Microscopy
5.4K
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers.
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
5.4K