stem-cell-niche
A stem-cell niche is the specialized microenvironment where stem cells reside and receive signals that control whether they divide, remain undifferentiated, or develop into specific cell types. In plants, these niches are found in meristems—regions at root and shoot tips—where they sustain the continuous growth and organ formation that define plant development throughout its life. Understanding the molecular signals that maintain these niches offers insight into how plants regenerate tissue, adapt their architecture to the environment, and could inform strategies for improving crop growth and resilience.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-06-22
Scientists discovered that two families of cell-surface signaling proteins — the ERECTA and PXY receptor kinase families — physically join forces to regulate the cambium, the thin stem-cell layer that makes wood. This explains how trees and other vascular plants control wood production, placing these protein partnerships at the center of xylem formation and carbon storage.
PXY and ER family receptor kinase proteins physically bind each other, forming cross-family complexes in the vascular cambium stem-cell niche
Constitutively activating PXY signaling caused dramatic cambial defects only when ER or ERL2 was present, proving the two families are functionally interdependent
Combined loss-of-function mutations across both receptor kinase families produced more severe cambial disruption than mutations in either family alone, revealing additive genetic interaction
