Cell signalling during vascular morphogenesis

Vascular tissue in plants is unique due to its diverse and dynamic cellular patterns. Through research in several organisms, such as Arabidopsis, Populus and Zinnia, using biochemical, genetic and genomic approaches, significant progress has recently been made in revealing the molecular nature of several signals underlying the patterning of vascular tissue. These signals include ligands, receptors and transcriptional regulators. The future challenge is to understand how the identified signals work together to control vascular morphogenesis.