Lec 6
Lec 6
parenchyma residing in the excised tissues. When cultured for several weeks, any callus
will show signs of ageing, noted as deceleration of growth, necrotic or browning and
finally desiccation. The newly formed callus will be removed from the initial explant at
this stage by cutting with the sterile scalpel. Once well established, most callus cultures
will require regular subculture at approximately 4 weekly intervals.
Cell suspension culture
The term "suspension culture" has simply aggregates of cells suspended in liquid
medium. After few subcultures, samll bits from a soft callus can be cut and inoculated
into liquid medium where they give rise to a suspension culture. Agitation rates on
orbital shakers should be in the range of 30-150 rpm. The degree of cell separation of
established cultures of high friability can be modified by changing the composition of the
nutrient medium particularly the concentration of growth regulators.
Subculture and Measurement of Growth
Cell suspension usually requires regular subculture at more frequent intervals than callus
growth from which they are derived. Subculture involves the aseptic transfer of suitable
size inoculums to fresh medium using either pipettes (or) autoclavable metal syringes,
and transfer by simply tipping culture into the new vessel up to a graduation mark to
ensure approximately constant inoculums size. The latter method is only one practicable
with cultures containing large cell aggregates.
Secondary metabolites production in cell lines
Higher plants are valuable sources of industrially important natural products which
include flavors, fragrances, essential oils, pigments, sweeteners, feed stocks, anti
microbial and pharmaceuticals which belong to metabolic groups collectively referred to
as secondary metabolites. These substances do not participate in vital metabolic functions
of the host plant tissues in the same manner as amino acids, nucleic acids or other
primary metabolites but appear to serve as a chemical interface between the producing
plant and its surrounding environment. These are used to ward off predators and to attract
pollinators. They may also help in combating infectious diseases.
ADVANTAGES OF SECONDARY METABOLITES
Plant cells are relatively easy to grow.
The rate of cell growth and biosynthesis in cultures initiated from a very small
amount of plant material is quite high and the final product may be produced in a
considerably short period of time.
Plant cell cultures are maintained under controlled environmental and nutritional
conditions which ensure continuous yields of metabolites.
Suspension cultures offer a very effective way of incorporating precursors into
cells
New routes of synthesis can be recovered from deviant and mutant cell lines
which can lead to production of novel compounds not previously found in whole
plants.
Some cell cultures have the capacity for bio transformation of specific substrates
to more valuable products by means of single or multiple step enzyme activity.
Culture of cells may be more economical for those plants which take long period
to achieve maturity.