Аннотация:The nucleolus is the most prominent domain in the eukaryotic cell nucleus, whose primary function is ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis and ribosome biogenesis. However, there is a growing body of evidence that the nucleolus is also implicated in many other aspects of cell biology, such as cell cycle regulation, growth and development, gene silencing, telomerase activity, senescence, responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this review, we assess the possible roles of the plant nucleolus in RNA regulatory pathways such as splicing, nonsense-mediated mRNA decay and RNA silencing. We also summarize recent progress and discuss already known and new hypothetical roles of the nucleolus in plant growth and development. In addition, this review will highlight studies showing new nucleolar functions involved in responses to pathogen attack and abiotic stress. Cross-talk between the nucleolus and Cajal bodies is also discussed in the context of their association with poly(ADP ribose)polymerase (PARP), which is known to play an important role in various physiological processes including growth, development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.