In a comparison of plant and animal development, it is found that:
1
animals evolved from plants, and animal developmental strategies are derived from those of plants.
2
fully differentiated cells of plants are still totipotent, and will readily form a complete fertile plant, whereas the differentiated state of animal cells is difficult to reverse.
3
gene regulation evolved later than the split between plants and animals, and is executed differently in the two kingdoms.
4
basic metabolic pathways and intracellular structures evolved separately in plants and animals and are fundamentally different.