DE NOVO ORGANOGENESISI AND TISSUE REPAIR IN THE ARABIDOPSIS ROOT

Abstract

Unlike most animal species, plants have a remarkable ability to produce new organs and tissues post-embryonically throughout their lifespan. Pluripotent cells residing in specialized tissues called meristems play a key role in bringing out the developmental and regenerative processes. During de novo organogenesis and regeneration of damaged tissue, acquisition of cellular pluripotency has long been recognized as a vital step that imparts cells with the competence to embark on a particular regenerative pathway. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. This Ph.D. thesis research work has, up to now, concentrated on the identification of progressive molecular and cellular changes required for de novo organogenesis and tissue repair in the Arabidopsis root. Understanding what controls these changes may provide new insights into fundamental principles that could explain the regenerative potential of plants.