How Moving Hormonal Signals Regulate Plant Vascular Differentiation, Adaptation, and Evolution: Hypotheses and Evidence

Development of plants and animals depends on the formation of complex vascular systems for the delivery of water, nutrients, and hormonal signals. This review clarifies major controlling mechanisms that regulate vascular differentiation, regeneration, adaptation, and evolution of plants, which were discovered during the past 50 years. Hypotheses and evidence on the hormonal mechanisms that regulate vascular differentiation are discussed, focusing on phloem and xylem relationships, control of vessel width, fiber differentiation, leaf and flower development, root initiation, evolution of ring-porous wood, parasitism, gall formation, cancer development and prevention.