Coordination and regulation of vascular development in roots

Abstract

Vascular tissue is crucial for the transport of substances and physical support in most plants. Vascular development in roots encompasses cell proliferation, pattern formation, cell specification, and differentiation. In the roots, the positions and timing of cell proliferation and the differentiation of xylem and phloem cells are strictly controlled in order to achieve continuous vascular transport. This review describes recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of vascular development, with a particular focus on the modulators of each of the above aspects in Arabidopsis roots. In particular, recent technological advances such as genome editing technology and single-cell analysis have led to the discovery of important genes that control vascular development. This paper shows that factors such as hormones, peptides, transcription factors, and microRNAs interact in a multilayered manner to modulate key regulators of root vascular development, ensuring stable vascular formation.