Growth and metabolism of cells and tissue of jack pine (Pinus banksiana). 3. Growth of cells in liquid suspension cultures in light and darkness

Abstract

Friable, jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) callus on agar plates with a defined nutrient medium was transferred to a liquid medium of the same composition to establish cell suspension cultures. Dry weights and patterns of growth for daughter cells were estimated in continuous light or darkness, with or without conditioned media and arginine supplement. In all treatments, growth was near-exponential. Greatest final size was obtained with basal medium under continuous light.The distribution of clump sizes at the later stages of growth fits a stochastic model reflecting two types of daughter cell behavior described by the probability of one type remaining with the clump as opposed to sloughing off into the medium. In light, cells contained many more chloroplasts, thicker cell walls, and more compacted clumps than in darkness: yet cellular clumping patterns both in light and darkness were largely similar. Nearly 20% of the clumps showed polarity and symmetry and contained actively streaming suspensor-like cells. The remaining clumps were spherical and produced unorganized growth patterns. The progress of growth was eventually dominated by the tendency of daughter cells to remain attached to clumps compared with the initial tendency for clumps to fragment and cells to be released into the medium.