The Regulatory Function of WOX5 in <i>Arabidopsis</i> Root Tips: The Disparity between Tissues and Organs

WOX5是拟南芥根尖干细胞调控网络中的一个关键因子，正常时空表达时主要在静止中心和柱干细胞中发挥作用，在细胞与组织层面具有促进干细胞特性维持和抑制细胞分化的功能，但WOX5功能完全缺失的突变体在器官与个体水平没有明显的表型，弄清引起WOX5在细胞组织和器官个体之间功能差异的原因可能会刷新我们目前有关根干细胞调控的认识。WOX5 is a key factor in the regulatory network of root tip stem cells in Arabidopsis. Under normal spatiotemporal expression, it primarily functions in the quiescent center (QC) and columella stem cells, promoting stem cell identity maintenance and suppressing cell differentiation at the cellular and tissue levels. However, WOX5 loss-of-function mutants show no obvious phenotype at the organ or whole-plant level. Understanding the mechanisms behind this functional disparity in WOX5 between cellular tissue and organ individual levels may reshape our current understanding of root stem cell regulation.