Tissue Culture

Question 1

What is tissue culture?

Answer 1

The growing of tissues or cells in a liquid containing nutrients or on a solid medium (eg: nutrient agar).

Question 2

Why is tissue culture used? (2 reasons)

Answer 2

• To grow many identical cells
• Produce new plants of a rare species at risk of extinction
• Produce clones of GM plants/crops (eg: orchids)

Question 3

What are te stages of producing a Tissue culture?

Answer 3

1) A piece of plant is placed in a bleach solution to sterilise it.

2) A small pieces of plant is cut and placed in a sterile nutrient medium to grow
3) Piece of plant is treated with hormones so it grows with foots and shoots
OR
2) Only a few cells are cut off, placed in a sterile nutrient medium to grow into a CALLUS
3) Callus treated with hormones (roots and shoots)
4) Plant.est are separated and grown on nutrient medium in sterile conditions

5) When the plants are large enough, they are planted in soil or compost.

Question 4

How is tissue culture used in medicine?

Answer 4

• On solid medium- how cells communicate with each other
• Study viruses, which can not replicate outside of cells
• Cancer cells