1*Dr. Pillai Global Academy, Panvel, Maharashtra, India. Email: nalawadeswasti@gmail.com
This research seeks to investigate how plant stem cells, which are found in meristems, that contribute to plant growth, development, and regeneration. Arabidopsis thaliana as the model plant was selected and added maize and tomato for comparison with monocot and dicot architecture. Seeds were surface sterilized and germinated on aseptic laboratory conditions. Shoot apical meristem (SAM) and root apical meristem (RAM) were imaged by differential staining and microscopy. Callus induction from leaf discs was carried out with Murashige and Skoog (MS) media with the addition of auxin (2,4-D) and cytokinin (BAP) to evaluate dedifferentiation and re-differentiation. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to quantify gene expression levels of WUSCHEL, CLAVATA, and other stem cell regulatory genes. Observations affirmed that both SAM and RAM have unique zones of stem cells that control organogenesis. qRT-PCR analysis showed high levels of expression of WUSCHEL and CLAVATA3 in the SAM region of Arabidopsis, and ZmWOX5 had comparable expression patterns in maize RAM. Callus induction was most effective in tomato leaf discs on media with equal auxin-cytokinin ratio (2:1). DR5::GUS assays revealed localized auxin maxima within root tips and wound locations, validating hormone-mediated regeneration. Plants subjected to stress, particularly Arabidopsis, exhibited increased callus formation and speedy tissue repair, indicative of a strong stem cell-mediated regenerative mechanism. This work shows the importance of plant stem cells in growth and regeneration via regulated gene expression and hormonal control.
Keywords: Arabidopsis, Callus induction, Meristem, Plant stem cells, regeneration.
How to cite this article: Nalawade S. The Role of Plant Stem Cells in Growth and Regeneration: A Beginner's Perspective. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(15s): 1061-1066. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.15s.117
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None