A microtubule perspective on plant cell division

Abstract

A central role of cell division in the life of multicellular plants is underlined by the fact that plants cannot move, in contrast to multicellular animals. Hence, cell division in plants fulfills not only a developmental task sensu stricto (for example, formation of organs, tissues and cell types) but also is key for adaptation to environmental conditions, presumably more so than in animals, by enhancing, reducing, as well as redirecting cell divisions, and thus adjusting growth.