Molecular Mechanisms of Root Meristem Development
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Development and Morphogenesis".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 70
Special Issue Editors
Interests: principles of development; cellular and molecular biology; theoretical biology; computational modeling; gene regulatory networks; microRNA function and regulation; polarity and pattern formation; self-organization in biology
Interests: leaf development; arabidopsis; root development; plant root anatomy; gibberellin
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Root meristems are dynamic tissues that sustain post-embryonic growth and define the architecture, adaptability, and productivity of plants. They host populations of stem cells whose activity determines how roots explore the soil and respond to developmental and environmental cues. Recent advances in genetics, live imaging, and single-cell omics have deepened our understanding of how transcriptional networks, hormonal pathways, and mechanical signals integrate to organize the meristem and coordinate cell fate decisions.
At the same time, it has become clear that root meristem behavior is not autonomous but intimately shaped by environmental interactions. Both abiotic factors—such as nutrient availability, temperature, or water status—and biotic components of the rhizosphere profoundly influence meristem maintenance, growth rate, and patterning.
This Special Issue of Plants aims to collect original research articles and reviews that advance our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing root meristem development, maintenance, and plasticity. Topics include stem cell niche regulation, hormonal and mechanical signaling, transcriptional and epigenetic control, intercellular communication, and the integration of meristem activity with abiotic and biotic stimuli. Contributions employing integrative approaches—combining molecular genetics, live imaging, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, computational modeling, and systems biology—are particularly encouraged.
Dr. Emanuele Scacchi
Dr. Raffaele Dello Ioio
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- root meristem
- stem cell niche
- transcriptional regulation
- epigenetic control
- cell–cell communication
- root development
- molecular genetics
- systems biology
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
