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Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Live Cell Imaging of Microtubule Cytoskeleton and Micromechanical Manipulation of the Arabidopsis Shoot Apical Meristem
Published on: May 23, 2020
Fuelling the top - Metabolic control of shoot apical meristem function and plant development
Christopher Bell1, Elena Baena-González1
1Department of Biology, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3EL, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Plant development relies on a complex network of transcription factors and hormone signalling pathways that guide pattern formation and developmental transitions in the meristems. Yet, how this core network is regulated to enable developmental plasticity remains poorly understood. A key question is how information about nutrient availability influences growth decisions, with nutrients acting not only as substrates for energy production and anabolism but also as regulatory signals. Here, we review recent advances in plant nutrient signalling during development, focussing on how carbon and nitrogen signals inform shoot apical meristem activity. We also consider the emerging idea that meristem regulators may reciprocally influence nutrient signalling pathways and metabolism.
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