Control of cell proliferation by microRNAs in plants

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to control key biological processes in plants. In this review, we will discuss recent findings showing the participation of miRNA networks in the regulation of cell proliferation and organ growth. It has become clear that miRNA networks play both integrative and specific roles in the control of organ development in Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, recent work in different species demonstrated a broad role for miR396 in the control of organ size, and that specific tuning of the miR396 network can improve crop yield.