Mitosis in Suspension Cultures of Higher Plant Cells in a Synthetic Medium

Abstract

Torrey, J. G., J. Reinert, and N. Merkel. (Harvard U., Cambridge, Mass.) Mitosis in suspension cultures of higher plant cells in a synthetic medium. Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(4): 420–425. Illus. 1962.—A cytological study was made of plant tissue cultures growing in liquid synthetic medium. Mitoses in cell suspension cultures of root callus tissues of Daucus carota L., Convolvulus arvensis L. and Haplopappus gracilis (Nutt.) Gray were found to occur frequently in the first 2 weeks of culture with the highest frequency at about 7 days. No mitoses were observed after 3 weeks, although fresh weight and the number of free-floating cells in the suspension continued to increase for the entire culture period of 4–6 weeks. Mitoses were most frequent in tissue pieces, but occasional mitoses in single isolated cells in suspension were observed in each type of tissue. Normal mitoses were observed in diploid and polyploid cells of all 3 types of tissues cultures. Little evidence of nuclear or chromosomal aberrations was observed in these cultures.