Callus (cell Biology) - Uses

Uses

Callus cells are not necessarily genetically homogeneous because a callus is often made from structural tissue, not individual cells. Nevertheless, callus cells are often considered similar enough for standard scientific analysis to be performed as if on a single subject. For example, an experiment may have half a callus undergo a treatment as the experimental group, while the other half undergoes a similar but non-active treatment as the control group.

Plant calli can differentiate into a whole plant, a process called regeneration, through addition of plant hormones in culture medium. This ability is known as totipotency. Regeneration of a whole plant from a single cell allows researchers to recover whole plants that have a copy of the transgene in every cell. Regeneration of a whole plant that has some genetically transformed cells and some untransformed cells is called a chimera. In general, chimeras are not useful for genetic research or agricultural applications.

Genes can be inserted into callus cells using biolistic bombardment, also known as a gene gun, or Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Cells that receive the gene of interest can then be recovered into whole plants using a combination of plant hormones. The whole plants that are recovered can be used to experimentally determine gene function(s), or to enhance crop plant traits for modern agriculture.

Callus tissue is of particular use in micropropagation where it can be used to grow genetically identical copies of plants with desirable characteristics.