Cell Recognition in Flowering Plants

Abstract

Plant cells in general have a capacity to discriminate between self and not-self. The case for cell recognition in plants is made primarily on evidence from pollen-stigma interactions and stem-grafting experiments. Recognition results in a defined response and may be mediated by surface or secreted determinants, likely to be protein or glycoprotein in nature. Mediators may include lectins, cell wall components such as arabinogalactan proteins, arabinoxylans and allergens. Antigenic cell determinants may provide an alternative to the traditional morphological approach for the typing of plant cells.