Dear Cytometry Group, I would like to know if any "flowers" out there are researching the link between intercellular contact and ploidy level. A review article of polyteny research on murine trophoblast giant cells (Int. Rev. Cytology 1996. Vol 165: 53-119) lists both in vivo and in vitro observations in which different degrees of intercellular contact influence cell ploidy level: higher degree of intercellular contact- diploid level; lower degree of contact- nuclei of up to 256 C observed. My interest in this area concerns the growth potential of maize endosperm cells. Perhaps the extent of endoreduplication that occurs within this tissue is also related to cellular contacts, ie. cells "fill in" the available space as the kernel develops. The maternal and environmental conditions possibly having a major influence on cell density/endosperm size potential/starch-protein accumulation that would influence the dynamics of cellular contacts as the endosperm grows. If possible I would like to try and somehow correlate histological sections with flow data on a developmental basis. If you are performing any research that would be relevant to this issue or have suggestions, please let me know. Thank you, John McLaughlin (RA) University of Minnesota Agronomy and Plant Genetics
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