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Extracellular matrix and pattern in plant embryos: on the lookout for developmental information
1Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Plymouth, UK.
Abstract:
Cells of early plant embryos are totipotent yet follow different predetermined developmental pathways, producing embryos with well-defined autonomously developing tissues. Evidence is accumulating from a few model systems that information maintaining the determined state of a particular cell type is contained in a position-dependent manner in the extracellular matrix. This information can be released to signal back to the cell, thus controlling patterns of gene expression and influencing cell fate.
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