Int. J. Dev. Biol. 49: 579 - 584 (2005)

https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.051983ss

Vol 49, Issue 5-6

Special Issue: Plant Development

Epidermal differentiation: trichomes in Arabidopsis as a model system

Published: 1 August 2005

Swen Schellmann and Martin Hülskamp*

University of Köln, Botanical Institute III, Köln, Germany

Abstract

Arabidopsis trichomes are an excellent model system to study all aspects of cell differentiation including cell fate determination, cell cycle regulation, cell polarity and cell expansion. Genetic analysis had initially identified mutants affecting trichome development at different developmental stages. During recent years, molecular analysis of the corresponding genes has revealed a first glimpse of the underlying molecular mechanisms. This paper summarizes some of the recent insights regarding the mechanisms of trichome development.

Keywords

trichome, Arabidopsis, cytoskeleton, patterning, differentiation