背景回顾：The shoot apical meristem allows for reiterative formation of new aerial structures throughout the life cycle of a plant. 

主要研究：We use single-cell RNA sequencing to define the cellular taxonomy of the Arabidopsis vegetative shoot apex at the transcriptome level. 

结果1-类群：We find that the shoot apex is composed of highly heterogeneous cells, which can be partitioned into 7 broad populations with 23 transcriptionally distinct cell clusters.

结果2-连续发育轨迹：We delineate cell-cycle continuums and developmental trajectories of epidermal cells, vascular tissue, and leaf mesophyll cells and infer transcription factors and gene expression signatures associated with cell fate decisions. 

结果3-根尖/茎尖比较分析：Integrative analysis of shoot and root apical cell populations further reveals common and distinct features of epidermal and vascular tissues. 

结论：Our results, thus, offer a valuable resource for investigating the basic principles underlying cell division and differentiation in plants at single-cell resolution.

 摘 要 

茎尖分生组织是植物整个生命周期中反复形成新的地上部分组织的关键。本文中，作者通过单细胞转录组测序（scRNA-seq）从转录组层面明确了拟南芥营养枝顶端的细胞分类学。作者发现茎尖是由高度杂合的细胞组成的，大致可以分成7大群，23个类。我们勾画出表皮细胞、维管组织和叶肉细胞的细胞周期连续体和发育轨迹，并推断了与细胞命运决定相关的转录因子和基因表达特征。综合分析茎尖和根尖的细胞群，进一步揭示了表皮和维管组织的共同和独特特征。本文的结果为研究植物中单细胞分辨率下的细胞分裂和分化基本原理提供了参考。