Control of the cell cycle in cultured plant cells

Abstract

The cell cycle of plant cells in culture has not been an area of intensive study during the past decade. When control of the cycle has been the focus of interest, “control”; has been narrowly defined in terms of endogenous, biochemical regulation. Recent data concerned with this aspect of control, and related models and hypotheses, will be reviewed. However, control can also be imposed upon the cell cycle of cultured plant cells by manipulation of the culture environment. Such “exogenous control”; will be discussed under headings of Induction and Selection. It will be emphasized that cell cycle controls have spatial as well as temporal parameters. The most important, recent technical advance in this field has been the development of flow (multiparameter) cytometry. The application of this methodology to plant cells in culture will be presented as a new research avenue in a previously somewhat neglected branch of plant science.