Intrinsic cues guiding changes in division orientation in the Arabidopsis root meristem: a formative experience.

The orientation of cell division is crucial for normal development of all plant organs throughout their life cycle. Despite the importance of understanding the intricate molecular mechanisms guiding this process, relatively few pathways have been characterized to date. Here we want to outline what is known about the molecular regulation guiding changes in division orientation in the root apical meristem of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, from the upstream transcriptional modules to the downstream executors that lead to division plane establishment. We specifically focus on the gaps in our knowledge about this highly coordinated process and propose that a new approach should be taken to characterize how changes in division orientation are controlled in more holistic detail.