Kitchen Culture Kits - History of Plant Tissue Culture

A Historical Account of Milestones in the Field of Plant Tissue and Cell Culture

Introduction

Historical Account of Milestones in the Field of Plant Tissue Culture

Different Techniques of Plant Tissue Culture

References

Note: I was sent this information last year but did not get time to publish it until now. Many thanks to Dr. Anjali Kulkarni for sharing this. Dr. Kulkarni first contacted me with this email:

Dear Carol,
I am a member of the home tissue culture group and I have also visited your kitchen culture site. I was wondering if you would be interested in posting a history of plant tissue culture on your site (Along with the references). Actually I had made the entire list as part of the introductory chapter of my thesis. But since it is becoming too long, I have decided not to incorporate it in my thesis. But I would be glad to
send it to you if you think that it has some application.

She went on to say in her second message:

Currently I am a Senior Research Fellow at the Plant Tissue Culture Division of National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India. I will be submitting my Ph.D. thesis in Biotechnology to the University of Pune by the end of the next month. I have worked on "Micropropagation and Secondary Metabolite Studies in Taxus baccata ssp. wallichiana and Withania somnifera (L.) Dun."

I am not sure where I will be once I submit my thesis. But people can contact me on my home e-mail (anjuk@vsnl.com). I will be trying for a post-doc in the near future.

Mrs. Anjali Abhay Kulkarni.

Table A 1.1. A Historical Account of Milestones in the Field of Plant Tissue and Cell Culture (Adapted from: White, 1963; Pierik, 1987; Brar and Khush, 1994; Endress, 1994).

Year	Important Discoveries And Their References
1838 & 1839	Cell theory, suggesting totipotentiality of cells. Schleiden M. J., Arch. Anat., Physiol. U. wiss. Med. (J. Muller), 1838: 137-176; Schwann T., W. Engelman, No. 176 (1910).
1882	Plants synthesize organ-forming substances that are polarly distributed. Sachs J., Arch. Bot. Inst. Wurzburg, 2: 453 & 689. A
1902	First but unsuccessful attempt of tissue culture using monocots. Haberlandt G., Sitzungsber Akad. Wiss. Wien, Math.-Naturwiss. Kl., 111: 69-92.
1904	First attempt in embryo culture of selected Crucifers. Hannig B., Bot. Zeitung, 62: 45-80.
1909	Fusion of plant protoplasts though the products failed to survive. Kuster E., Ber. Dtsch. Bot. Ges., 27: 589-598.
1921	Cultivation of fragments of plant embryos. Molliard M., C. R. Soc. Biol. (Paris), 84: 770-772.
1922	Asymbiotic germination of orchid seeds. Knudson L., Bot. Gaz., 73: 1-25.
1922	In vitro culture of root tips. Robbins W. J., Bot. Gaz., 73: 376-390.
1924	Callus formation on carrot root explants by use of lactic acid. Blumenthal F. and Meyer P. Z. Krebsforsch. 21: 250-252.
1925	Embryo culture for interspecific crosses in Linum spp. Laibach F., Z. Bot., 17: 417-459.
1925	Symbiotic germination of orchid seeds. Knudson L., Bot. Gaz., 29: 345-379.
1929	Embryo culture to avoid cross incompatibility in Linum spp. Laibach F., J Hered., 20: 201-208.
1934	In vitro culture of cambial tissues of different trees and shrubs failed. Guatheret R. J., C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris), 198: 2195-2196.
	Successful long-term culture of tomato roots. White P. R., Plant Physiol., 9: 585-600.
	Identification of the first plant hormone, IAA, leading to cell enlargement. Kogl F. et al., Z. Physiol. Chem., 228: 90-103.
1936	Embryo culture of different gymnosperms. LaRue C. R., Bull. Torrey Bot. Club, 63: 365-382
1939	Successful continuously growing cambial cultures of carrot and tobacco. Gautheret R. J., C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris), 208: 118-120; Nobecourt P., C. R. Soc. Biol. (Paris), 130: 1270-1271; White P. R., Am. J. Bot., 26: 59-64.
1940	Culture of cambial tissue of Ulmus to study adventitious shoot formation. Gautheret R. J., C. R. Acad. Sci., 210: 632-634.
1941	Coconut Milk used for growth and development of very young Datura embryos. Overbeek J. van et al., Science, 94: 350-351.
1942	Observation of secondary metabolites in plant callus cultures. Gautheret R. J. Bull. Soc. Chim. Biol. 41: 13.
1943-1950	Tumor-inducing principle of crown gall tumors identified. Braun A. C. Phytopathol. 33: 85-100 & P. N. A. S. USA 45: 932-938.
1944	First In vitro culture of tobacco used to study adventitious shoot formation. Skoog F., Am. J. Bot., 31: 19-24.
1945	Cultivation of excised stem tips of Asparagus. Loo S. W., Am. J. Bot., 32: 13-17.
1946	First whole plants of Lupinus and Tropaeolum from shoot tips. Ball E., Am. J. Bot., 33: 301-318.
1948	Formation of adventitious shoots and roots in tobacco. Skoog F. and Tsui C., Am. J. Bot., 355: 782-787.
1949	Culture of fruits In vitro. Nitsch J. P., Science, 110: 499.
1950	Organs regenerated from callus of Sequoia. Ball E., Growth, 14: 295-325.
1950	First successful cultures of Monocots using coconut milk. Morel G. C. R. Acad. Sci., 230: 2318-2320.
1951	Culture of excised ovaries In vitro. Nitsch J. P., Am. J. Bot., 38: 566-577.
1951	Chemical control of growth and organ formation in culture demonstrated. Skoog F., Annee Biol., 26: 545-562.
1952	Virus-free Dahlia through meristem culture. Morel G. and Martin C., C. R. Hebd. Seances Acad. Sci. (Paris), 235: 1324-1325.
1952	First successful micro-grafts. Morel G. and Martin C., C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris), 235: 1324-1325.
1953	Haploid callus from pollen grain of Ginkgo biloba. Tulecke W. R.., Science, 117: 599-600.
1954	First calli produced from a single cell by use of nurse cultures. Muir W. H. et al., Science, 119: 877-878.
1955	Discovery, structure and synthesis of Kinetin. Miller C. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 77: 1392 & 2662-2663.
1956	In vitro cultivation of normal and tumor tissues of Picea glauca. Reinert J. and White P. R., Physiol. Plant., 9: 177-189.
1956	US patent NO. 2747334 for: Production of substances from plant tissue culture of Phaseolus by Routien J. B. and Nickell L. G.
1957	Discovery that root or shoot formation in culture depends on auxin : cytokinin ratio. Skoog F. and Miller C. O., In vitro Symp. Soc. Exp. Biol., No. 11: 118-131.
1957	Culture of excised anthers of Allium cepa. Vasil I. K., Phytomorph., 7: 138-149.
1958	In vitro culture of excised ovules of Papaver somniferum. Maheshwari N., Science, 127: 342.
	Regeneration of somatic embryos from nucellus of Citrus ovules. Maheshwari P. and Rangaswamy N. S., Ind. J. Hort., 15: 275-281.
	Pro-embryo formation in callus clumps and cell suspension of carrot. Reinert J. and Steward F. C., Naturwiss., 45: 344-345.
	Growth and development in suspension cultures. Steward F. C. et al., Am. J. Bot., 45: 693-708.
1959	Production of large amounts (134 L) of plant tissue by submerged culture. Tulecke W. and Nickell L. G., Science, 130: 863-864.
1960	First test tube fertilization in Papaver rhoeas. Kanta K., Nature, 188: 683-684.
	Enzymatic degradation of cell wall for protoplast formation. Cocking E. C., Nature, 187: 927-929.
	Vegetative propagation of orchids by meristem culture. Morel G., Am. Orchid Soc. Bull., 29: 495-497.
1962	Development of MS medium. Murashige T. and Skoog F., Physiol. Plant., 15: 473-497.
1962	In vitro flower induction in tobacco Aghion D., C. R. Acad. Sci., 255: 993-995.
1964	First haploid plants from Datura androgenesis. Guha S. and Maheshwari S. C., Nature, 204: 497 and Nature, 212: 97-98 (1966).
1964	Regeneration of roots and shoots on callus of Populus tremuloides. Mathes M. C., Phyton, 21: 137-141.
1965	Differentiation of tobacco plants from a single isolated cell in microculture. Vasil V. and Hildebrandt A. C., Science, 146: 76-77 & 150: 889-892.
1965	Protocorm formation in orchids In vitro. Morel G., Cymbidium Soc. News, 20: 3
1967	Flower induction in Lunaria annua by vernalization In vitro. Pierik R. L. M., See Pierik R. L. M., (1987) In vitro Culture of Higher Plants. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht.
1967	Yields of secondary products in cell culture equal to those of intact plants of Ammi visnaga. Kaul B. and Staba E. J., Planta Med., 15: 145-156.
1967	Haploid plants from pollen grains of tobacco. Bourgin J. P. and Nitsch J. P., Ann. Physiol. Veg., 9: 377-382 & 10: 69-81.
1969	Protoplast isolation from suspension culture of Hapopappus gracilis. Ericksson T. and Jonassen K., Planta, 89: 85-89
1970	Selection of biochemical mutants in tobacco. Carlson P. S., Science, 168: 487-489.
	Hybrid embryo culture and subsequent chromosome elimination for haploid production in Barley. Kasha K. J. and Kao K. N., Nature, 225: 874-875
	Protoplast fusion. Power J. B. et al., Nature, 225: 1016-1018.
1971	Plant regeneration from mesophyll protoplasts of tobacco. Takebe I. Et al., Naturewiss., 58: 318-320.
1972	Interspecific hybridization of Nicotiana spp. using protoplasts. Carlson P. S. et al., P. N. A. S. (USA), 69: 2292-2294.
1973	Cytokinins found to be capable of breaking dormancy in Gerberas. Pierik R. L. M. et al., Sci. Hort., 1: 117-119.
1974	Induction of branching by cytokinins in Gerbera shoot tips Murashige F. et al., Hortsci., 9: 175-180.
	Regeneration of haploid Petunia plants from protoplasts Binding R. J., Z. Pflanzenphysiol., 101: 119-130.
	Fusion of haploid protoplasts to form polyploids. Melchers G. and Lalib G., Mol. Gen. Genet. 135: 277-294.
	Bio-transformation in PTC Reinhard E., In: Tissue culture and Plant science, Street H. E. (ed.), Acad Press NY,: 433-459.
	Ti plasmid as the tumor inducing principle in crown gall. Zaenen I. Et al., J. Molec. Biol., 86: 109-127; Larebeke N. van et al., Nature, 252: 169-170.
1975	Positive selection of maize callus culture resistant to Helminthosporium maydis. Gengenbach B. G. and Green C. E., Crop Sci., 15: 645-649
1976	Shoot induction from cryo-preserved shoot tips of carnation. Seibert M., Science, 191: 1178-1179.
	Protoplast fusion of Petunia hybrida with P. parodii. Power J. B. et al., Nature, 263: 500-502.
	Octopine and Nopaline synthesis and break-down is regulated by Ti plasmid. Bomhoff G. et al., Molec. Gen. Genet., 145: 177-178.
1977	Successful integration of T-DNA in plants. Chilton M. D. et al., Cell, 11: 263-271.
	Cultivation of tobacco cells in 20,000 L bioreactors. Noguchi M. et al., Plant Tissue Culture & its Biotechnological Application, Springer Verlag, Berlin,: 85-94.
	Development of two-stage culture medium for suspension cell cultures. Zenk M. H. et al., Plant Tissue Culture & its Biotechnological Application. Springer Verlag, Berlin,: 27-43.
1978	Somatic hybridization of tomato and potato. Melchers G. et al., Carlsburg Res. Comm., 43: 203-218.
1978	Industrial scale fermentation of plant cells for production of shikonin. (Selection of cell lines with higher yield of secondary products). Tabata M. et al., Frontiers of Plant Tissue Culture 1978, Univ. Calgary Press, Calgary,: 213-222.
1979	Alginate beads used for plant cell immobilization for biotransformation and secondary metabolite production. Brodelius P. et al., FEBS Lett., 103: 93-97.
1979	Co-cultivation procedure developed for the Agrobacterium mediated transformation of protoplasts. Marton L. et al., Nature, 277: 129-131
1980	The use of immobilized cells for bio-transformation of digitoxin intro digoxin. Alfermann A. W. et al., Planta Medica, 40: 218.
1981	Introduction of the term somaclonal variaion. Larkin P. J. and Scowcroft W. R., Theor. Appl. Gen., 60: 197-214.
	Isolation of auxotrophs by cell colony screening in haploid protolasts of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia treated with mutagens. Sidorov V. et al., Nature, 294: 87-88.
	Use of a hollow fiber reactor for secondary metabolite production. Shuler M. L., Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 369: 65-79.
1982	Naked DNA transformation of protoplasts. Krens F. A. et al., Nature, 296: 72-74.
1982	Electrofusion of protoplasts Zimmermann U., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 694: 227-277.
1983	Intergeneric cybrid in radish and rape. Pelletier G. et al., Molec. Gen. Genet., 191:244-250.
	First industrial production of secondary metabolites by suspension cultures of Lithospermum spp. by Mitsui Petrochemicals.
	Beneficial use of elicitors in cell suspension cultures. Wolters B. and Eilert U. Dtsch. Apoth. Zeitg., 123: 659-667.
1983	Co-integrate type of vectors designed for Agrobacterium transformation. Zambryski P. et al., EMBO J., 2: 2143-2150.
1984	Transformation of Nicotiana protoplasts with plasmid DNA and regeneration of transformed plants. Paszkowski J. et al., EMBO J., 3: 2717-2722.
1985	Infection and transformation of leaf discs with Agrobacterium tumefaciens and regeneration of transformed plants. Horsch R. B. et al., Science, 227: 1229-1231.
	Development of disarmed Ti plasmid vector system for plant transformation. Fraley R. T. et al., Bio/Technol., 3: 629-635.
	Development of binary vector system for plant transformation. An G. et al., EMBO J., 4: 277-284.
	Gene transfer in protoplasts of Dicot and Monocot plants by electroporation. Fromm M. E., P. N. A. S. (USA), 82: 5824-5828.
	Hairy root production for the first time in Hyoscyamus muticus. These roots produced more hyoscyamine than in planta. Flores H. E. and Filner P., Primary & Secondary Metabolism of Plant Cell Cultures. Springer Verlag, (Eds. Neumann K. H., Barz W. and Reinhard E.): 174-186.
1986	Transformation of tobacco protoplasts by direct DNA microinjection. Crossway A. et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 202: 179-185.
1987	Use of Microprojectile gun for particle bombardment for genetic transformation and recovery of individuals showing transient gene expression. Klein T. M. et al., Nature, 327: 70-73.
	First monocot (Asparagus) transformation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Bytebier B. et al., P. N. A. S. (USA), 84: 5345-5349.
	Micro-injection for direct DNA delivery into plant cells. Miki B. L. A. et al., Plant DNA Infectious Agents., vol. 3: 249-265.
1988	Recovery of stable transformants through particle bombardment. Klein T. M. et al., P. N. A. S. (USA), 85: 4305-4309.
1988	Automated mass propagation with organogenesis and embryogenesis. Levi R. et al., Biotechnol., 6: 1035.
1990	Plant transformation by microinjection of intact plant cells. Neuhaus G., Physiol. Plant., 79: 213-217.
	Electroporation of intact plant tissues for direct DNA delivery. Dekeyser R. A. et al., Plant Cell, 2: 591-602.
	Silicon carbide fiber-mediated DNA delivery in plant cells. Kaeppler H. F. et al., Plant Cell Rep., 9: 415-418.
1991	Cryopreservation of alkaloid-producing cell culture of Catahranthus. The cells retain the property of alkaloid synthesis even after thawing. Lynch P. T. and Benson E. E., Rice Genetics II, IRRI, Manila, Phillipines,: 321.
1991	Production of first transgenic plants of a conifer (Larix decidua, by Agrobacterium rhizogenes mediated transformation). Huang Y. et al., In vitro Cell Dev. Biol., 27: 201-207.
1992	Successful metabolic engineering of Atropa belladona for increased alkaloid production. Yun D.-J. et al., P. N. A. S. (USA), 89: 11799-11803.
1992	Herbicide resistant rice plants through PEG mediated transformation of protoplasts. Dutta S. K. et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 20: 619-629.
1993	In vitro fertilization with isolated single gametes resulting in zygotic embryogenesis and recovery of fertile maize plants. Kranz E. and Lorz H., The Plant Cell, 5: 739-746.
1993	"Green Hairy roots" showing photoautotrophy due to development of photosynthetic ability. Flores H. E. et al., Plant Physiol., 101: 363-371.
1994	Marketing of genetically engineered tomato: 'Flavr-Savr'
1994	Improved plant transformation through electrophoresis. Giesbach R. J., Plant Sci., 102: 81-89.
1996	Development of ‘agrolistic’ method of plant transformation. Hansen G. and Chilton M. D., P. N. A. S. (USA), 93: 14978-14983.
1996	Development of a binary bacterial artificial chromosome (BBIC) vector for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (Transfer capacity of 150 kb). Hamilton C. M. et al., P. N. A. S. (USA), 93: 9975-9979.

Table A 1.2. Different Techniques of Plant Tissue Culture and Their Applications in Plant Improvement (Adapted from: Murashige, 1979; Pierik, 1987; Brar and Khush, 1994; Brown and Thorpe, 1995).

Tissue Culture Technique	Applications
Seed Culture	Increasing efficiency of germination and germling production in seeds, difficult to germinate in vivo. Precocious germination by application of plant growth regulators. Induction of multiple shoot formation and organogenesis by application of plant growth regulators. Elimination of viruses as seeds do not carry viruses.
Embryo Culture	Overcoming embryo abortion due to incompatibility barriers. Overcoming seed dormancy and self-sterility of seeds. Embryo rescue in distant (interspecific or intergeneric) hybridization where endosperm development is poor. Production of monoploids. Shortening of breeding cycle. For development of callus cultures.
Ovary or Ovule Culture	Production of haploid plants. Recovery of hybrid embryos overcoming embryo abortion at very early stages of development of zygote due to incompatibility barriers. Achievement of In vitro fertillization.
Anther and Microspore Culture	Production of haploid plants. Production of homozygous diploid lines through chromosome doubling, thus reducing the breeding cycle. Genetic transformation using microspores. Production of useful gametoclonal variations. Mutation investigations easier with single set of chromosomes. Fixation of certain genetic characters from heterozygous source materials.
In vitro Pollination	Production of hybrids difficult to produce by embryo rescue.
In vitro Fertilization		Production of distant hybrids avoiding style and stigmatic incompatibility that inhibits pollen germination and pollen tube growth. Production of transgenics by injecting exogenous DNA in the nuclei of gametes and zygotes.
Organ Culture		Mass production of plants of elite and rare germplasm. Production of calli, shoots and roots for production of secondary metabolites. Development of germplasm banks for rare and endangered plants.
Shoot Apical Meristem Culture		Production of virus free germplasm. Mass production of desirable genotypes. Facilitation of international exchange. Cryopreservation or In vitro conservation of germplasm. Phytosanitary transport.
Somatic Embryogenesis		Mass multiplication of elite germplasm. Production of artificial seeds. As source material for embryogenic protoplasts. For genetic transformation. Production of primary metabolites specific to seeds such as lipids in oil seeds. Amenable to mechanization and for bioreactors.
Organognesis and Enhanced Axillary Budding		Mass multiplication of elite germplasm. As source material for protoplast work, genetic transformation and mirografting. Conservation of endangered genotypes either at normal or at sub-zero temperatures.
Callus Cultures		Production of plantlets through somatic embryogenesis or organogenesis. For obtaining virus-free plants. For generation of useful somaclonal and gametoclonal variants. As a source of protoplasts and suspension cultures. Production of useful secondary metabolites. For biotransformation studies. Selection of cell lines with valuable properties such as resistance to disease, herbicides, overproduction of secondary metabolites etc. For mutagenetic studies.
In vitro Production of Secondary Metabolites		Production of useful compounds such as drugs, aromatic substances, pigments, flavors etc. without destruction of mother plants. Production of novel metabolites normally not produced by the parent plant. Biotransformation and elicitor studies.
Cell Culture and In vitro Selection at Cellular Level		Production of somatic embryos, morphognetic nodules and entire plantlets. Over-production of secondary metabolites. Over-production of primary metabolites. Induction and selection of useful mutants or somaclones at cell level for disease resistance, stress tolerance and improved nutritional quality in less time and space.
Somaclonal Variations (Genetic or Epigenetic)		Isolation of useful variants in well-adapted, high yielding genotypes lacking in a few desirable traits. Isolation of useful variants overproducing primary or secondary metabolites. Isolation of useful variants with better disease resistance, stress tolerance capacities. Creation of additional genetic variation without hybridization in useful cultivars.
In vitro Mutagenesis		Induction of polyploidy for consequent increase in biomass or yield. Introduction of genetic variability and rapid selection as well as multiplication of useful mutants. As a tool for developmental genetics and for elucidation of biochemical processes.
Protoplast Isolation, Culture and Fusion		Combining distant genomes to produce somatic hybrids,asymmetric hybrids and cybrids. Production of organelle recombinants. Transfer of CMS (cytoplasmic male sterility) in elite lines. Source material for genetic transformation. Creation of genetic variants.
Genetic Transformation		Introduction of foreign DNA to generate novel genetic combinations. Transfer of desirable genes for disease and pest resistance from related or unrelated plant species into high yielding susceptible cultivars. Study of structure and function of genes. Induction of hairy roots or shooty terratomas for over-production of secondary metabolites, naturally present in mother plant. Production of novel secondary metabolites absent in parent plant.
In vitro Flowering		Reduction in long life cycle in perennials such as Bamboo. Continuous supply of flowers, fruits and seeds irrespective of season.
Micrografting		Overcoming graft incompatibility. Rapid mass propagation of elite scions grafted on rootstocks having desirable traits like resistance to soil-borne pathogens and diseases. Multiplication and survival of difficult to root species as well as of transformants. Development of virus free plants.
Cryopreservation or Storage at Low Temperature		Long term preservation of useful germplasm (cell lines, meristems, plant organs, morphogenetic callus cultures). Conservation of natural genetic variability.
Culture of protoplasts, cells, tissues and organs		As a tool in Phytopathological Research. Virus preparation and replication. Culture of obligate parasites. Host-parasite interactions. Culture of nematodes (Excised root cultures). Testing of phytoalexins and phytotoxins. Nodulation studies.
		As a tool in Plant Physiological Research. Cell cycle studies. Metabolic studies. Nutritional studies. Morphogenetical and developmental studies.
Culture of hairy roots		For understanding and manipulating root-specific metabolism. For co-culture with VAM fungi to increase secondary metabolite production. For co-culture with insects to study pathogenesis. For study and commercial exploitation of bioactive root exudates. For co-culture with shooty teratomas to exploit both root and shoot based metabolism for biotransformations and also for metabolite production specific with both these locations. For development of "green hairy roots" which are photoautotrophic and hence display a different spectrum of secondary metabolites.

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