Integrated analysis of leaf cell division and growth

Fox, Samantha (2019) Integrated analysis of leaf cell division and growth. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

This thesis provides a critical analysis of published work undertaken by the author between 2005 and 2019.

A major challenge in biology is to understand how buds comprising just a few cells can deform through growth to generate complex plant and animal appendages, like leaves or limbs. In this thesis, I bring together my peer-reviewed publications to focus on how the Arabidopsis first leaf attains its shape through coordinated patterns of orientated growth and cell division. I highlight innovative approaches used to track leaf growth in multiple cell layers and in different genetic backgrounds. I present maps of leaf development which reveal dynamic, spatiotemporal patterns of orientated tissue growth and cell division. I present models developed through collaborations with computer scientists that provide key insights into how leaf shapes are formed during organ morphogenesis via an underlying biochemical-based polarity system that may also be applicable to more complex shape development. I discuss how the patterns of cell division and cell sizes are correlated and present an integrated model that suggests how cell division and growth can be regulated via a dual control mechanism with cross connections. Prior to the work presented here, no previous model had been proposed to explain leaf shape transformation according to biologically validated observations. In this work I assess the impact of this research to the field of plant developmental biology and suggest that the knowledge gained provides valuable information to the plant science community upon which future studies may be based.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	19 Oct 2022 14:26
Last Modified:	19 Oct 2022 14:26
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/89221
DOI:

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