Molecular Studies of Shoot Meristem Activity during the Vegetative-to-Floral Transition

Abstract

Angiosperm morphogenesis is regulated largely by the processes of cell division, cell elongation, cell differentiation, and cell senescence. During shoot development the regions of primary cell division, elongation, and differentiation are in the shoot tip. The meristem proper is the site of active cell division, and is associated with an adjacent zone of cell elongation and differentiation. Thus, an understanding of the mechanisms that control shoot meristem activity is essential if we are to learn how basic cellular processes regulate plant development.