This review summarizes our present knowledge about the composition and function of the plant nuclear envelope. Compared with animals or yeast, our molecular knowledge of the nuclear envelope in higher plants is in its infancy. However, there are fundamental differences between plants and animals in the structure and function of the nuclear envelope. This review will compare and contrast these differences for nuclear pore complexes, nuclear transport, inner nuclear envelope proteins and the role of the nuclear envelope during mitosis. In some cases, seemingly 'novel' aspects of plant nuclear envelope function may provide new insight into the animal cell nucleus.