Cascades of temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression play crucial roles in the vascular development in plant roots. Once vascular cell fates are determined, the timing of their differentiation is tightly controlled in a cell-autonomous manner. In contrast, extensive cell-to-cell communication contributes to the positioning and specifying of vascular cell types in the root meristem. Diverse factors moving short distances in a radial direction were found to be key contributors to these processes. Furthermore, signals from differentiated phloem were found to influence the phloem precursor and determine how the corresponding asymmetric cell division proceeded. These findings highlight the potential importance of underexplored types of intercellular communication in relation to vascular tissue development during postembryonic root growth.

基因表达的时空调控级联在植物根部的血管发育中起关键作用。一旦确定了血管细胞的命运，就可以以细胞自主的方式严格控制它们分化的时间。相反，广泛的细胞间通讯有助于根分生组织中血管细胞类型的定位和确定。发现在径向上短距离移动的多种因素是这些过程的关键因素。此外，发现来自分化的韧皮部的信号影响韧皮部前体并确定相应的不对称细胞分裂如何进行。这些发现凸显了胚胎后根生长过程中与血管组织发育有关的细胞间通讯类型的未开发潜力。