Cell interactions in plants

Plant cells interact during development through diverse mechanisms that range from genetically encoded signals to physical stresses. Pollen self-incompatibility is the best understood cell interaction in plants. Analysis of genes that appear to be involved in specific developmental signals, such as liguleless1 from maize and GLABROUS1 from Arabidopsis, will provide clues as to the nature of cell interactions in plant development. Recent data suggest that intercellular connections may be more similar in plants and animals than previously thought.