Micropropagation Through Plant Somatic Embryogenesis

Overview

A plant reproduces naturally through the development of zygotic embryos. Formation of the embryo begins with the division of the fertilized eggs or zygote within the embryo sac of the ovule. Through an orderly progression of divisions, the embryo eventually differentiates, matures , and develops into the new plantlet. Alternatively, the plant can be derived from a single somatic cell or a group of somatic cells. This regeneration process, which differs from the natural pathway, is called somatic embryogenesis. All the plantlets produced have the same genetic makeup. Combined with genetic engineering, micropropagation through somatic embryogenesis provides an efficient means of producing a large number of elite or transgenic plants.

The somatic embryo's development is analogous to its zygotic counterpart. The embryo development process is characterized by a series of morphological changes which correspond to its maturition. Research in our lab focuses on the applications of image analysis and pattern recognition systems for studies of somatic embryo development. Carrot embryos have been used as a model system to develop the image analysis and pattern recognition system. Currently, Douglas-fir cultures are being investigated because of their economic importance to the timber industry.

Research in our lab includes studies on Carrot and Douglas Fir somatic embryogenesis. Quantitative studies are carried out using an Image Analysis System and the data so obtained is analyzed using several tools including classification using Neural Networks

Selected Publications:

Huang, L-C., Vits, H., Staba, E.J., Cooke, T.J., and Hu, W-S. (1992) Effect of cultivation age and embryo size on specific oxygen uptake rate in developing somatic embryos of Daucus carota L., Biotech. Letters, 14, 701-706.

Vits, H., Hu, W-S., Staba, E.J. and Cooke, T.J. (1992) Formulation of a morphogenetic model for embryo development in dicotyledonous plants. J. Theor. Biol., 157, 221-241.

Huang, L-C., Chi, C-M., Vits, H., Staba, E.J., Cooke, T.J., and Hu, W-S. (1993) Population and biomass kinetics in fed-batch cultures of Daucus carota L. somatic embryos, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 41, 811-818.

Vits, H., Hu, W-S., Staba, E.J. and Cooke, T.J. (1993) Modeling morphological development of carrot embryo. Proceedings 3rd US/Japan Biotechnology Conference, Jan. 6-10, 1991, Honolulu, HI, In: Bioproducts and Bioprocesses 2, pp. 283-292, Eds. T. Yosh ida and R. Tanner, Springer Pub.

Chi, C-M., Vits, H., Staba, E.J., Cooke, T.J. and Hu, W-S. (1994) Morphological kinetics and distribution in somatic embryo cultures. Biotechnol. Bioeng., 44, 368-378.

Vits, H., Chi, C.M., Staba,E.J., Cooke, T.J. and Hu, W-S. (1994) Characterizing patterns in somatic embryo cultures: its the morphology and development. AIChE J., 40, 1728-1740.

Chi, C.M., Zhang, C., Staba, E.J., Cooke, T.J. and Hu, W.S. (1996) An advanced image analysis system for the evaluation of somatic embryo development. Biotechnol. Bioeng., 50:65-72.

Chi, C-M., Zhang, C., Staba, E.J., Cooke, T.J. and Hu, W-S. (1996) "Spectral approach to population dynamics of carrot somatic embryos." J. Ferm. Bioeng., 81:445-452.

Zhang, C., Chi, C-M., Staba, E.J., Cooke, T.J. and Hu, W-S. (1996) "Application of image analysis to fed-batch cultures of somatic embryos." In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol., -Plant, 32:190-198.

Current Graduate Students

Chun Zhang

B.S. Zhejiang University, China, 1992

zhang@cems.umn.edu

Chetan J. Gadgil

B.Chem.Engg., University of Bombay, 1994

M.Tech., I.I.T., Bombay, 1996








gadgil@cems.umn.edu

Last updated: August 1, 1997

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