Secondary products from cultured cells and organs: I. Molecular and cellular approaches

Abstract

Abstract Over the past two decades, cell cultures have proved to be a valuable tool for the study of the biosynthesis of secondary products in plants. The term 'secondary products ' covers a wide-range of chemically dissimilar com pounds. These have in common a non-essential role for the survival of the individual plant cell, but, in contrast, where the in vivo role of these compounds has been ascertained, it is clear that they are often essential for the survival of the plant as a whole. Many of these compounds may not be synthesized during the entire lifetime of the plant. For example, flower pigments are only produced at a specific developmental stage, while a number of types of chemicals are rapidly synthesized, and as rapidly destroyed, in response to pathogenic invasion. Whatever their roles in the plant may be, however, mankind has found uses for numerous secondary products as pharmaceuticals or food ingredients.