Expansion of the phragmoplast during plant cytokinesis: a MAPK pathway may MAP it out.

Plant cytokinesis involves the formation of a cell plate. This is accomplished with the help of the phragmoplast, a plant-specific cytokinetic apparatus that consists of microtubules and microfilaments. During centrifugal growth of the cell plate, the phragmoplast expands to keep its microtubules at the leading edge of the cell plate. Recent studies have revealed potential regulators of phragmoplast microtubule dynamics and the involvement of a mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in the control of phragmoplast expansion. These studies provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of plant cytokinesis.