Pluripotent stem cells are special cells capable of giving rise to various organs, tissues, and cell types. In the moss Physcomitrium patens, a single pluripotent stem cell (apical cell) resides in the meristem. The apical cell divides in a highly ordered manner to produce the gametophore. Using P. patens as a model, we study how pluripotent stem cells are specified, initiated, and maintained. [More details]
２. Mechanisms Regulating Vegetative Reproduction in Response to the Environment
Plants proliferate not only through seeds but also via vegetative reproduction, producing clones from parts of their body. In the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, vegetative reproduction involves the formation of numerous asexual buds (gemmae) within cup-shaped structures called gemma cups. We investigate how these asexual buds are formed and how their numbers are adjusted according to environmental conditions. [More details]
３. Origin and Evolution of Plant Hormones and Their Signaling Pathways
Plant hormones regulate nearly all aspects of plant life, including growth and responses to environments. We focus on strigolactones, which act both as hormones controlling growth and environmental responses, and as rhizosphere signaling molecules that promote symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. We study the origin and evolution of their signaling pathways, as well as the mechanisms controlling their biosynthesis. [More details]
