Signaling and transcriptional control of reproductive development in Arabidopsis.

Plant reproductive development is a complex process with diploid and haploid phases, including male and female organogenesis, meiosis, gametogenesis, pollination and fertilization. A number of regulatory mechanisms control both diploid and haploid cell division and differentiation, especially cell-cell signaling pathways mediated by receptor-linked protein kinases with prominent roles in early male development, and hormonal signaling pathways crucial for later events in male and female reproductive development. Furthermore, transcriptional networks control the proper formation of specific cell layers and embryo sac cell specification.