Yjro Helariutta
Prof. Dr.
Helsinki University
Ykä Helariutta is Professor of Plant Developmental Biology at the University of Cambridge and University of Helsinki. His research group is interested in molecular mechanisms governing the morphogenesis and functionality of vascular tissues, with an emphasis on phloem. Phloem is the conductive tissue that transports various organic molecules from the green source tissues to non-green sink tissues, such as grains, fruits and vegetables. The conductive cell type of phloem is the sieve element, an enucleate living cell with various ultrastructural adaptations that facilitate molecular transport. Sieve element is surrounded by other functionally important cell types, which together complete the long-distance transport function specifying further downstream processes in the sink tissues. Ykä is currently in the process of extending his research interest from the pure developmental basis of vascular tissues to also their function in coordinating development and growth of the various organs. This involves developing new source-sink models in Arabidopsis.
Source-to-sink transport | Phloem development | Arabidopsis
yrjo.helariutta@helsinki.fi