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What is meant by Cellular Totipotency?
Welcome to the fascinating world of cellular totipotency , where cells possess superhero-like abilities to transform and regenerate . In this article, we’ll embark on a journey to understand the science behind cellular totipotency , all while keeping it light, fun, and easy to grasp.
What is Cellular Totipotency?
Cellular totipotency might sound like a mouthful, but it’s essentially the power of cells to do it all. Imagine a cell with the ability to become anything it wants – that’s totipotency in a nutshell.
Cellular totipotency refers to the remarkable capacity of a single cell to give rise to an entire organism . It’s like having a magical recipe that can cook up an entire living being from scratch. Plant spores and Zygote are examples of single cells that show cellular totipotency.
History of Cellular Totipotency
Totipotency was introduced by a German plant physiologist, Professor Göttlieb Haberlandt in 1902 . However, the term “ Cellular Totipotency ” was probably coined by T.H. Morgan in 1901 .
In the 1950s, a scientist named Theodore Steward embarked on an extraordinary experiment. He discovered that by manipulating plant cells, he could raise complete plants from single isolated cells .
Steward Experiment of Cellular Totipotency
Steward’s work was the scientific equivalent of turning water into wine, but instead, he turned plant cells into whole plants. Talk about a botanical magician!
His groundbreaking experiment involved taking a small piece of a carrot , culturing its cells , and then witnessing the miraculous rebirth of a whole carrot plant. It was like watching a vegetable resurrection!
Steward’s work opened the doors to understanding how cells could be coaxed into becoming whatever the scientific maestro desired.
When Does Cellular Totipotency Occur?
Totipotency isn’t an everyday occurrence; it’s more like a cellular emergency backup plan . When the body needs to repair or regenerate , these totipotent cells step in. It’s like having a team of paramedics ready to heal and rebuild damaged tissues.
It often happens during early developmental stages or when cells are under specific conditions. It’s like cells saying, “Today’s the day I become anything I want!
How Does Cellular Totipotency Work?
Cellular totipotency is like sending cells to a superhero training camp. The cells have this innate potential to become anything , but they need the right conditions to unleash their superpowers.
Cells need specific factors such as nutrients , growth hormones , and temperature conditions to activate their totipotency. The right temperature, nutrients, and growth factors create perfect conditions for cells to express their inherent potential.
Cellular Totipotency in Plants
Plants take cellular totipotency to a whole new level. From cloning to regrowing entire plants from a single leaf , plants showcase the true power of regrowth. It’s like a green revolution happening at the cellular level, where every plant cell is a potential superhero.
Cellular Totipotency in Animals
While animals might not be as showy as plants, they too possess totipotent cells. Think of these cells as the body’s emergency backup plan . These cells kick into action when needed, regenerating damaged tissues or, in some cases, creating an entirely new being.
Why Cellular Totipotency Matters:
Now, you might be wondering, why does this matter? Well, for one, it’s the secret sauce behind understanding regenerative medicine . Imagine a world where we can heal and rebuild using the incredible power of cellular totipotency!
The applications of cellular totipotency are mind-boggling. For example, using plant tissue culture we can grow entire forests from a single tree cell – that’s the potential of cellular totipotency!
As we wrap up our cellular totipotency adventure, remember that these tiny cells hold immense power. They’re not just microscopic entities but the architects of life’s grand design.
That’s all for now, but the scientific journey doesn’t stop here! Dive into the next article and keep the curiosity alive. What topic should we explore next? Share your thoughts in the comments — let’s unfold the wonders of science together!
Read More: What are Ocean Dead Zones? What Causes Them and How Can We Prevent Them?
Keep Reading, Keep Exploring, Keep Sharing the knowledge , and, of course, Stay Curious and Stay Scientific!
References:
- STEWARD, F. C., et al. “Growth and Development of Totipotent Cells: Some Problems, Procedures, and Perspectives.” Annals of Botany , vol. 34, no. 4, 1970, pp. 761-787, https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a084408 . Accessed 14 Jan. 2024.
- Mitalipov, Shoukhrat, and Don Wolf. “Totipotency, Pluripotency and Nuclear Reprogramming.” Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology , vol. 114, 2009, p. 185, https://doi.org/10.1007/10_2008_45 . Accessed 28 Jan. 2024.
- Razdan, M., 2008. Plant Tissue Culture . Amsterdam: Elsevier.
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Published by Vinod Thakur
Having lots of Curiosity in Mind and some Creativity in Heart. Aiming for Stability like DNA and Versatility like RNA. Devoted to 3 things: Love, Smile and Serve. Completed my M.Sc Biotech through a DBT-sponsored programme. View all posts by Vinod Thakur
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Somatic Embryogenesis in Carrot (Daucus carota)
Cite this chapter.
- Abraham D. Krikorian 2 &
- David L. Smith 2
201 Accesses
The culture of carrot cells in liquid suspension dates from 1953 and the recognition of their totipotency from 1956 [10]. By 1962 it was feasible to maintain in the laboratory, routinely, liquid cultures, heterogeneous as to their unit size, but in which large numbers of embryos readily developed from suspended cell clusters and single cells [8]. By this time, the role of synergistic combinations of the growth-promoting complex as it occurs in coconut water with auxins such as naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) had become well-known [11, 23]. Moreover, the advantages to be gained in some otherwise morphogenetically recalcitrant cell cultures, of sequential treatments with different growth-promoting complexes and systems, became appreciated [23]. By these general means it was shown that a number of umbelliferous plants (family Apiaceae) and species or cultivars from other families, could yield cells and somatic embryos which in turn could give rise to whole plants. But when the main sequence of embryogenic development of carrot cells became known [24], it was found that its outcome could be greatly altered by the environmental conditions and the identity and mode of application of the growth and morphogenetic stimuli [11, 23].
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Krikorian, A.D., Smith, D.L. (1992). Somatic Embryogenesis in Carrot (Daucus carota) . In: Lindsey, K. (eds) Plant Tissue Culture Manual. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3778-0_2
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Steward Experiment and Application of Totipotency
The ability or capacity of the mature living cells when free from the plant body develop into a new organism in controlled condition is known as Totipotency.
(Lotus = entire, potential = power). Haberlandt in 1902(German botanist) has first given the concept of cellular totipotency in plant body.
He stated that ever living cell of the plant body able to regenerate the whole plant body because it is derived from the fertilized egg and contain hereditary information. He tried to grow isolated green cells of leaves but failed to achieve the success. Later in 1950 F.E. Steward got success in proving the cellular totipotency.Cellular totipotency is a property of plant cell because a differentiated plant cell retain its capacity to give rise to a whole plant but in animal cell its losses the capacity of regeneration after differentiation.
Steward Experiment:
Steward et al took the 2mg. slices of phloem tissue of carrot (Daucus carrotd) and grown in a liquid nutrient medium containing coconut water. The part of the plant is taken for tissue culture is known as Explants (Ex. Phloem tissue of Carrot root). The liquid nutrient medium containing explants was allowed some hours for shaking.
Then the culture cell divide continuously to form mass of undifferentiated tissue known as callus. Some of these cell cluster started differentiating the initial of root. When it transfer to semi solid medium then it develop shoot system and give rise new plant. These plant then transfer to pot/soil where they develop in to flowing plant.
Steward experiment shows that in plant even mature (fully differentiated cells) can dedifferentiate, divide, come together re-differentiate and produced a new plant. Plant tissue derived form root, stem, leaf, vegetative bud, floral bud, anther & embryo can exhibit cellular totipotency.
Application:
Totipotency character of plant cell has been used in tissue culture as follows:
1. It helps in rapid multiplication of plant with desirable character.
2. Multiplication of rare plants.
3. To pass the seed dormancy.
4. Quick propagation of useful plants.
5. Develop haploid plant.
6. Produce virus free & disease resistant plant.
7. Help in protoplast fusion & somatic hybridization.
8. Produce high yielding varieties crop plants.
9. Help in embryo rescue.
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Steward experiment shows that in plant even mature (fully differentiated cells) can dedifferentiate, divide, come together re-differentiate and produced a new plant. Plant tissue derived form root, stem, leaf, vegetative bud, floral bud, anther & embryo can exhibit cellular totipotency.
Ever fascinated by the unfolding processes of growth and development, Steward set out to study the behaviour of mature cells, isolated from carrot roots, when cultured in sterile nutrient culture media (liquid endosperm, or coconut water), using specially designed flasks and the
At Priestley’s instigation, Steward immersed himself systematically in the topic of the (bio)chemistry of what made cells of storage tissue slices permeable. (Storage tissue slices comprised primarily of parenchyma cells were then viewed as good models for the absorptive surfaces of intact roots).
His groundbreaking experiment involved taking a small piece of a carrot, culturing its cells, and then witnessing the miraculous rebirth of a whole carrot plant. It was like watching a vegetable resurrection! Steward experiment of Cellular Totipotency.
Dr. Steward was a leading figure in the development of modern plant physiology, cell biology, and plant tissue culture, and his research in the late 1950s reshaped scientific knowledge of how plants regenerate.
F. C. Steward and Jakob Reinert in the late 1950s, independently and with different degrees of scientific exactness, demonstrated that somatic cells of cultivated carrot can produce embryo-like...
Plant regeneration by somatic embryogenesis from cultured cells was originally observed with carrot (Steward et al. 1958). In somatic embryogenesis, somatic cells develop by division to form complete embryos analogous to zygotic embryos.
The viability of carrot uniits was found (1) to increase with their density on the plates; (2) to decrease upon washing the suspensions prior to plating; (3) to increase with increasing initial size; and (4) to decrease to a vanishingly low value in rigorously filtered suspensions which
Somatic Embryogenesis in Carrot (Daucus carota) Chapter. pp 19–50. Cite this chapter. Download book PDF. Abraham D. Krikorian & David L. Smith. 198 Accesses. Abstract. The culture of carrot cells in liquid suspension dates from 1953 and the recognition of their totipotency from 1956 [10].
Steward Experiment and Application of Totipotency Article shared by: The ability or capacity of the mature living cells when free from the plant body develop into a new organism in controlled condition is known as Totipotency.