Plant cells have a powerful capacity in their prop-agation to adapt to environmental change, given that a single plant cell can give rise to a whole plant via somatic embryogenesis without the need for fertil-ization. The reprogramming of somatic cells into totipotent cells is a critical step in somatic embryo-genesis. This process can be induced by stimuli such as plant hormones, transcriptional regulators and stress. Here, we review current knowledge on how the identity of totipotent cells is determined and the stimuli required for reprogramming of somatic cells into totipotent cells. We highlight key molecular reg-ulators and associated networks that control cell fate transition from somatic to totipotent cells. Finally, we pose several outstanding questions that should be addressed to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant cell totipotency.