The plant shoot meristem maintains a group of stem cells that remain active throughout the plant life. They continuously generate new cells that are then recruited for organ initiation in the peripheral zone. Stem cell proliferation and daughter cell differentiation has to be integrated with overall growth and development of the diverse functional domains within the shoot apex. Several studies have revealed extensive communication between these domains. The signaling mechanisms employed comprise diffusible peptides, directional trans-port of plant hormones, but also complex interactions between transcription factors, that together establish a panoply of regulatory inputs that fine-tune stem cell behavior in the shoot meristem.

Keywords: meristem, plant development, signaling, stem cell