Cell-centered modeling of leaf in Arabidopsis

Inbiosis seminar on 20 Feb 2009 presented by Dr. Roeland Merks from Netherlands Institute for System Biology.

Dr. Merks started the talk by showing us an example of a simple plant cell model. A basic cell model is based on various factors (Permeability, turgid pressure, viscosity, elasity etc). The modeling is done based on trial and error. Various forces are applied to the cell and the cell structure is predicted. The best model is one with stabilized energy after movement (Zero free energy ΔH= 0 is more stabilized than ΔH= 1). This explains why cell rarely retain any peculiar shape.

Cell-centered modeling is not just about predicting the best shape/patterns of cells. Modeling generates hypothesis how the cells work. Molecular expression studies of certain genes provide new evidences for the model. Therefore, this leads to different hypothesis from different researchers that might contradict each other. Modeling is useful in predicting how genes regulate cell behaviour, how cells behaviour affects multicellular pattern and how cells respond to the multicellular environment.

One of Dr. Merks works involves understanding the molecular mechanisms of auxin transport based on observations of Arabidopsis leaf growth and venation patterning. They started with the hypothesis that PIN1 (an auxin transporter) localizes near the neighboring cells with the highest auxin concentration. By using expression studies on the leaf, the localization of PIN1 was tracked over a period of time. Florescent assay has allowed visualization of PIN1 activities in the cells. Dr. Merks has definitely done a great job at guiding the audience through his slides.

Second part of the talk is about modeling of blood vessel which I’m not gonna elaborate. There was also a workshop on “Virtual leaf”, a plant tissue modeling tools developed by Dr. Merks. Click here for all the previous Inbiosis seminars and workshops informations.