Pattern formation in the vascular system of monocot and dicot plant species

Plant vascular tissues are organised in continuous strands, the longitudinal and radial patterns of which are intimately linked to the signals that direct plant architecture as a whole. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying vascular tissue patterning is expected to shed light on patterning events beyond those that organise the vascular system, and thus represents a central issue in plant developmental biology. A number of recent advances, reviewed here, are leading to a more precise definition of the signals that control the formation of vascular tissues and their integration into a larger organismal context.