Plants make their first root in the embryo, which is then called the primary root. Roots that emerge from the primary root later in development are called lateral roots (LRs). LRs are important for providing stability to the plant, and assisting in acquisition of nutrients and water. I am using LRs to understand how cell division (the cell cycle) is connected to developmental transitions. Previous studies have shown plant hormones auxin and cytokinin play important roles in cell division and LR organogenesis. Cells that have the capacity to become LRs with the right signal are called founder cells. Founder cells form when a few undifferentiated cells in the primary root respond to a pulsatile auxin signal to become ‘specified’ LR stem cells, retaining potential to proliferate and the ability to differentiate into LR. These specified LR stem cells arrest in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, respond to auxin signaling, and undergo rounds of cell division, marking the onset of LR development. In this study, I investigated whether G2-arrested cells in the specification stage are receptive to auxin and cytokinin. Specifically, I analyzed LR primordia shape, LR developmental progression, and LR density in response to treatment with auxin and cytokinin in plant lines where the cell cycle is disrupted. Preliminary results reveal an increased density of LRs in plants with a long G2/M transition when they are exposed to auxin. This suggests that progression through the cell cycle may reduce auxin sensitivity. The understanding gained from these experiments is helping build a framework for how the cell cycle contributes to LR development, allowing for future genetic modifications to improve root structure in crop plants.