Plant Regeneration Requires Cellular Communication

Embryogenesis is the process whereby a cell divides into cellular cooperatives that are shaped into differentiated tissues and organs. Organogenesis via plant tissue culture is thought to be a similar process that starts from a de-differentiating single cell. Here we show that in tobacco plants that undergo shoot regeneration from leaf tissue organogenesis occurs via cellular collectives.  These cellular collectives are dependent on communication between the cells prior to the collective decision to go into shoot formation.