Abstract

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a sequence of stereotypical morphological transformations, which results in differentiation of cells into a plant body bypassing the fusion of gametes. As such, it represents a very powerful tool in biotechnology to propagate species with long reproductive cycles or low seed set and the production of genetically modified plants with improved traits. The initiation of SE can be divided into five major stages: (i) perception of extracellular signals or stress stimuli, (ii) transduction of the extracellular signal through the cytoplasm into the nucleus, (iii) induction of gene transcription required for embryogenesis, (iv) reorganisation of cytoplasm and (v) onset of embryonic development. The further embryonic development during SE resembles its zygotic counterpart and begins with the establishment of apical-basal asymmetry. The apical domain, the embryo proper, proliferates and eventually gives rise to the plantlet, while the basal part, the embryo suspensor, becomes a subject of terminal differentiation and gradually degrades via vacuolar programmed cell death (PCD). This PCD is essential for normal development of the apical domain. Some signalling events in the apical and basal domains share homologous components. Here, we describe our current knowledge on the control of life and death processes during SE.

Published in

Plant Cell Monographs
2014, Volume: 22, number: 22, pages: 131-178
Title: Applied Plant Cell Biology : Cellular Tools and Approaches for Plant Biotechnology
ISBN: 9783642417870
Publisher: Springer

SLU Authors

• Bozhkov, Peter

  • Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Cell Biology
Developmental Biology
Plant Biotechnology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41787-0_5

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/66861