Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

09:23
Lateral Root Inducible System in Arabidopsis and Maize
Published on: January 14, 2016
Plant development: hidden networks
1Department of Botany, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, M5S 3B2, Toronto, Canada. berleth@botany.utoronto.ca
Current Biology : CB
|September 21, 2000
Abstract:
How the complex patterns of plant vascular systems are generated is largely unknown. Advances in understanding vascular pattern formation at various levels are likely to follow recent large-scale genetic screens for Arabodopsis mutants with abnormal vascular systems.
Related Concept Videos
Seedless Vascular Plants
Seedless Vascular Plants Were the First Tall Plants on Earth
Meristems and Plant Growth
Plants grow throughout their lives; this is called indeterminate growth, and it distinguishes plants from most animals. Although certain parts of plants stop growing (e.g., leaves and flowers), others grow continuously—like roots and stems.
Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots
Vascular plants, which account for over 90% of the Earth’s vegetation, all undergo primary growth—which lengthens roots and shoots. Many land plants, notably woody plants, also undergo secondary growth—which thickens roots and shoots.
Morphogenesis
Plant morphogenesis—the development of a plant’s form and structure—involves several overlapping developmental processes, including growth and cell differentiation. Precursor cells differentiate into specific cell types, which are organized into the tissues and organ systems that make up the functional plant.
Short-distance Transport of Resources
Short-distance transport refers to transport that occurs over a distance of just 2-3 cells, crossing the plasma membrane in the process. Small uncharged molecules, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water, can diffuse across the plasma membrane on their own. In contrast, ions and larger molecules require the assistance of transport proteins due to their charge or size. Transport across membranes also occurs within individual cells, playing a variety of essential roles for the plant as a whole.
Cell Signaling in Plants
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...

