Fig. 5. SEM of needle-like leaves in as2-101 and 35S::AS2//Ler plants. (A) A first as2-101 rosette leaf with needle-like structure. (B-D) The bottom, middle and top boxed areas of A, respectively. (B) The epidermal cells of the proximal region of this structure mimic those of the petiole abaxial cells in Ler plants, and are also similar to those of phan-607 needle-like leaves (Waites and Hudson, 1995). (C) In the more distal portion, cells differentiate into abaxial epidermis (white arrowhead) with some intermediate cells between the jigsaw-shaped abaxial epidermal cells and the petiole abaxial cells in the Ler (black arrowhead). (D) At the tip of the needle-like organ, all cells are abaxilized. (E) A first appearing 35S::AS2//Ler leaf with needle-like structure. (F-H) The bottom, middle and top boxed areas of E, respectively. Note that the epidermal pattern of this structure is similar to that of the needle-like leaves in the phb-1d mutant (McConnell and Barton, 1998). Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A,E); 0.1 mm (B,C,F,G); 0.05 mm (D,H).