Tissue Culture

'Ex vivo growth of cells or tissues in an aseptic and nutrient-rich medium’ is called tissue culture.

Tissue culture is a scientific technique that involves growing cells or tissues outside their natural environment in a controlled, sterile, and nutrient-rich medium. This method allows scientists to cultivate cells in a laboratory setting, providing conditions that promote their growth and development. With advancements in this technique, it is now possible to develop an entire organism from a single cell or a small tissue fragment.

Tissue culture

Tissue culture: Plantlets of banana and farming with their help

The medium used in tissue culture can be liquid, solid, or gel-like (often made from agar). It provides all the essential nutrients and energy needed for the cells to grow and multiply, making this process a powerful tool in research, agriculture, and medicine.

An introduction to scientists:

1. Initiation Phase: The tissue is carefully sterilised and introduced into a culture medium to prevent contamination.
2. Multiplication Phase: The sterilised tissue, or explant, is placed in a nutrient-rich medium with growth regulators, leading to the formation of a callus (an undifferentiated mass of cells).
3. Root Formation: Plant growth hormones are added to the culture medium to stimulate root development, resulting in complete plantlets.
4. Shoot Formation: Hormones are used to promote shoot development, with growth monitored over a week.
5. Acclimatisation: The developed plants are transferred to a greenhouse to adapt to controlled conditions before being moved to nurseries for natural growth.

• The process begins with the selection of a healthy source plant, from which a bulb or corm is taken for propagation.
• The bulb or corm undergoes primary treatment, where it is sterilised and prepared in a nutrient-rich medium under aseptic conditions.
• The prepared material is placed in a controlled environment for reproduction and multiplication, allowing cells or tissues to grow and divide.
• The tissue develops into plantlets, and shooting and rooting processes occur to form small plants with roots and shoots.
• These plantlets go through primary hardening, where they are gradually adapted to external conditions in a controlled environment.
• Finally, they undergo secondary hardening, where they are fully acclimatised and prepared for transplantation into the field as mature plants.

Various Processes in Tissue-Culture