Cell proliferation patterns at the shoot apical meristem

The highly stereotypic cell proliferation patterns in many plant species suggest that the strict control of the cell cycle in time and space is an essential basis for ordered development. At the same time, conflicting evidence contradicts this view, indicating that cell division simply follows growth patterns that are dictated by the local availability of nutrients. Recent evidence shows that there is no strict hierarchical relationship between growth and proliferation. Cell expansion and proliferation, for example, are controlled by the same regulators. Cell proliferation depends on nutrient distribution but, in turn, the use of the same nutrients depends on the activity of cell cycle regulators such as E2F transcription factors.