Ascorbic Acid Effect on Pericycle Cell Line in<i>Allium Cepa</i>Root

Abstract

SUMMARYThe pericycle cells in Allium cepa root tip undergo differentiation at 2C level. The present study indicates two clear effects of ascorbic acid treatment on pericycle cell line: i) the extension of the upper limit of mitosis from the tip; ii) the increase of the labelling index. In a previous paper we have just found that, in Allium cepa, treatment with ascorbic acid stimulates the G1 nuclei of the quiescent centre to undergo DNA synthesis. Our present results suggest the hypothesis that ascorbic acid could have a regulatory role of cell proliferation during the G1 phase.