[Chin-Min Ho] Using quantitative methods to understand leaf epidermal development
POST:
Leaf epidermis is composed of highly coordinated and functionally distinct cell types including stomata, microscopic pores on the epidermis for photosynthesis, trichomes, epidermal hairs to prevent insect attacks and jigsaw-shaped pavement cells as building blocks for leaf integrity. The cuticle layers on top of the pavement cells together with stomata balance the trade-off between gas exchange and water loss. In this review, we introduce the formation of epidermal cell types in Arabidopsis and provide examples of quantitative tools to describe phenotypes in leaf research. We further focus on cellular factors involved in triggering cell fates and their quantitative measurements in mechanistic studies and biological patterning. This article provides the background knowledge for those interested in leaf epidermal development.
The first author of this paper is Chi Kuan