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Dissecting the Concept of the Thin Cell Layer: Theoretical Basis and Practical Application of the Plant Growth Correction Factor to Apple, Cymbidium and Chrysanthemum

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Abstract

A thin cell layer (TCL) is a thin layer of plant cells. TCLs have served as a simple, but important biotechnological tool in plant science, with several dozen crop species having had tissue culture regeneration protocols developed using TCLs generated from multiple explant sources. There are two types of TCLs, transverse TCLs, or tTCLs and longitudinal TCLs, or lTCLs. The former is the most common, ranging from 100 μm to 1–2 mm in thickness, usually cutting through several tissue types. In contrast, the latter usually targets a very specific layer of cells or tissues, and may vary in length but is as thick as a tTCL. The developmental question that needs to be addressed will determine the choice between one or the other and its use in plant tissue culture. The often unappreciated beauty of the TCL is not so much in its actual regeneration capacity, but rather in its potential regeneration capacity. Herein, we use data from three model species, a woody temperate fruit tree, Malus sp. (apple; Rosaceae), and two herbaceous ornamentals, Cymbidium (orchid; Orchidaceae) and Dendranthema (chrysanthemum; Asteraceae), to demonstrate the theory and functionality of TCLs. Moreover, using a new concept, the plant growth correction factor, or GCF, the ability to theoretically predicts the organogenic outcome in vitro is presented through mathematical models based on the geometric analysis of explant size and shape. A new factor, the geometric factor, or GF, was also determined for all three plants to compare regeneration from different explant types with different shapes. The GF, which is calculated, is independent of plant species or any in vitro conditions, but depends only on the size and shape of the explant and on tissue that is capable of regeneration. The GF and GCF would, in theory, allow for the direct comparison of plant in vitro studies in different laboratories provided that explant size is known, and to predict the theoretical outcome of a regeneration protocol if different explants were to be used.

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Acknowledgments

The first author thanks BioU (Tokushima, Japan) for providing all Cymbidium cultivars and to Prof. Seiichi Fukai for providing the chrysanthemum cultivar. The first author also wishes to thank Prof. Michio Tanaka for the use of research facilities.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. P. O. Box 7, Miki-cho post office, Ikenobe 3011-2, Kagawa-ken, 761-0799, Japan

    Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva

  2. Research Institute of Nyíregyháza, University of Debrecen, P. O. Box 12, Nyíregyháza, 4400, Hungary

    Judit Dobránszki

Authors
  1. Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva
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  2. Judit Dobránszki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva.

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Glossary

A

Surface area of an explant

A epid

Epidermal surface area of an explant

Conv

This subscript in the equations refers always to a conventional explant’s parameters such as its surface (A conv), volume (V conv), or the number of organs it regenerates (SNconv)

Geometric factor (GF)

A unit that allows regeneration capacity to be calculated based on the size and shape of an explant. Its calculation also depends on the tissue from which regeneration occurs. It does not take into consideration the level of PGRs or other compounds or any other in vitro conditions that might influence organogenesis whose effect is considered to be null

Growth correction factor (GCF)

A proportional number expresses how many times more target organs can be regenerated from a source organ in a comparison of two explants. It is a theoretical value based on actual experimental data. The GCF applies exclusively to concrete organs (shoots, roots, leaves, flowers, PLBs, and so), but not to disorganized growth (callus)

k Factor

Is a proportional factor between GCF and GF that can be different depending on in vitro experimental conditions except for explant size and shape, which can affect the success of the regeneration process, such as medium, lighting, genotype, explant age, sampling time, etc. These factors are mathematically summarized as a k factor

Multipotency

The ability to derive organogenesis and regenerate any organ from any plant cell

n

The number of TCLs that can theoretically be prepared from a source explant

PLB %

Percentage of prepared explants that regenerate PLBs

R %

Percentage of prepared explants that regenerate organs

Regeneration capacity (RC)

The ability of an explant to form an organ or callus. The organogenic or morphogenic potential of an explant. RC takes into consideration both SN/PLB and R %

SN

Number of shoots that regenerate on an excised explant

SR %

Percentage of prepared explants that regenerate shoots

Totipotency

The ability to regenerate a whole plant from any plant cell

V

Volume of an explant

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Teixeira da Silva, J.A., Dobránszki, J. Dissecting the Concept of the Thin Cell Layer: Theoretical Basis and Practical Application of the Plant Growth Correction Factor to Apple, Cymbidium and Chrysanthemum. J Plant Growth Regul 33, 881–895 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-014-9437-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-014-9437-x

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