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THE PICEA ABIES SHOOT APICAL MERISTEM IN CULTURE. II. DEPOSITION OF POLYSACCHARIDES AND LIGNIN‐LIKE SUBSTANCES BENEATH CULTURES
Author(s) -
Romberger J. A.,
Tabor C. A.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1975.tb14090.x
Subject(s) - meristem , membrane , lignin , biology , shoot , polysaccharide , cell wall , botany , cellulose , biophysics , biochemistry
Excised shoot apical meristems of Picea abies seedlings grow and develop primordial leaves when cultured on Millipore (mixed esters of cellulose) filter membranes lying on a simple, defined medium gelled with agarose. When the cultures are removed from the membranes, each leaves a spot of altered light transmission, spectral characteristics, hygroscopicity, and chemical reactivity. These spots are the manifestation of deposition in the membrane pore space of polysaccharides, lignin‐like components, and probably other substances. Deposition of water‐insoluble, Schiff's reagent‐positive substances can be detected in the filter membranes after only 3–6 hr exposure to a meristem and continues for 10–15 days or longer. Precursors of the insoluble deposition materials can diffuse through at least nine layers of Millipore membrane before deposition at a site remote from living cells. Placement of a dialysis membrane between the meristem and the Millipore membrane prevents detectable deposition in the latter. The observations are consistent with the hypothesis that apical meristems can synthesize and export mobile precursors of cell wall components as well as any substances necessary to promote their condensation or polymerization into insoluble materials at remote sites. The system may be useful in studying synthesis of cell wall components and investigating the functional role of growth regulators in shoot apical development.