Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system in somatic cell genetics II. Cell suspension culture

A cell culture system providing a suitable source of free cells for in vitro genetic manipulations is presented. The system is based on the correlation between dissociation rate and growth pattern in suspension cultures. This correlation is used to control the balance between cell division and cell dissociation. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at a concentration of 1 mg/l is estimated to be the most efficient dissociating factor. The culture is permanently maintained in the late log phase by adding fresh medium to the biomass at a well-defined ratio; thus, cells are kept growing and cell dissociation is favoured. This makes it possible to use large cell aggregates as a continuous source of single cells and of small cell aggregates. A yield of 0.8 to 1.8·106 viable cells per ml is obtained. © 1977.SCOPUS: ar.j