SLOUGHED PERIPHERAL ROOT CAP CELLS: YIELD FROM DIFFERENT SPECIES AND CALLUS FORMATION FROM SINGLE CELLS

Abstract

Peripheral root cap cells can be isolated by gentle agitation of the root in water for less than 60 sec. Filtration of the detached cells through a 30‐μm mesh screen results in a suspension of single cells. Yields of peripheral root cap cells from 28 species in 10 families ranged from fewer than 10 per root from tobacco to more than 5,000 per root from pine. The viability of freshly isolated cells from most species, including legumes and cereals, was 85% to 95%. Cultured cells from pea and soybean exhibited cytoplasmic streaming for more than a month. When incubated at an initial density of 105 cells per ml of liquid B5(P) medium, 6% to 8% of isolated pea root cap cells divided and grew into callus.