Organogenic events during gynoecium and fruit development in Arabidopsis

Angiosperms are the most successful group of land plants. This success is mainly due to the gynoecium, the innermost whorl of the flower. In Arabidopsis, the gynoecium is a syncarpic structure formed by two congenitally fused carpels. At the fusion edges of the carpels, the carpel margin meristem forms. This quasi-meristem is important for medial-tissue development, including the ovules. After the double fertilization, both the seeds and fruit begin to develop. Due to the importance of seeds and fruits as major food sources worldwide, it has been an important task for the scientific community to study gynoecium development. In this review, we present the most recent advances in Arabidopsis gynoecium patterning, as well as some questions that remain unanswered.

Automated summary

The success of angiosperms, the most successful group of land plants, is mainly attributed to the gynoecium, the innermost whorl of the flower. In Arabidopsis, the gynoecium is formed by two fused carpels, and a quasi-meristem called the carpel margin meristem plays a crucial role in its development. The study of gynoecium development, which is important for the production of seeds and fruits, has been a significant task for the scientific community. This review presents recent advances in Arabidopsis gynoecium patterning and highlights unanswered questions.