Aspects of Growth and Metabolism in a Suspension Culture of Acer pseudoplatanus (L. ) Grown on a Glycerol Carbon Source

Abstract

A suspension culture of Acer pseudoplatanus cells was transferred from medium containing 2% (w/v) glucose to an identical one containing glycerol at 2% (w/v) as the sole carbon source. The patterns of cell number increase, dry weight increase, and changes in packed cell volume showed marked differences as a result of this transfer. The glucose-grown cultures contained a small proportion of cells of exceptionally large diameter, and transfer to the glycerol carbon source appeared to bring about a considerable increase in their number. These larger cells, in both glucose- and glycerol-containing cultures, exhibited considerable differences in cell wall architecture when compared with their smaller counterparts. They appeared more irregular, and had much looser cellulose microfibril arrangement in their outer layers