Light and temperature regulation of leaf morphogenesis in Arabidopsis

Leaves are the main photosynthetic organs in plants, and their anatomy is optimized for light interception and gas exchange. Although each species has a characteristic leaf anatomy, which depends on the genotype, leaves also show a large degree of developmental plasticity. Light and temperature regulate leaf development from primordia differentiation to late stages of blade expansion. While the molecular mechanisms of light and temperature signaling have been mostly studied in seedlings, in the latest years, research has focused on leaf development. Here, I will describe the latest work carried out in the environmental regulation of Arabidopsis leaf development, comparing signaling mechanisms between leaves and seedlings, highlighting the new discoveries, and pointing out the most exciting open questions.

Automated summary

Leaves, as the primary photosynthetic organs in plants, have a high degree of developmental plasticity. Light and temperature play important roles in regulating leaf development, but there are still many unanswered questions regarding the environmental regulation of leaf development.