As with all multicellular organisms, homeotic genes in plants control morphogenesis (how the tissues and organs of the plant are arranged). in maize plants, the homeotic gene knotted1 (abbreviated kn1) maintain the indeterminate state of shoot apical meristems.

In symmetrical cell division, the cytoplasm of the parent cell is distributed equally between the two daughter cells, resulting in daughter cells of equal size. In asymmetrical cell division, the cytoplasm of the parent cell is distributed unequally between the two daughter cells, resulting in daughter cells of different sizes.