Ultrastructural analysis of organization of roots obtained from cell cultures at clinostating and under microgravity

Data are presented of a comparative analysis on rhizogenesis in the Arabidopsis thaliana tissue culture growing in a solid nutrient medium under stationary conditions, clinastatic conditions and microgravity. Tissue samples weighing 100 mg. were set in the Petri dishes and placed in a horizontal slow clinostate /2 revs/min/. After 14 days of growth they were analyzed. On clinostating the number of roots formed from the callus cells was approximately one half the control. The formed root cap manifested no essential differences, in comparison with the stationary control, in the number of layers and cell sizes in its layers. In callusogenic roots, formed from clinostated cells, differentiation including root cap cells, proceeds without noticeable deviations from the norm. At the same time, gravireceptor cells do not function under these conditions. This is clearly displayed at a structural level in the location of amyloplasts-statoliths throughout the cytoplasm. The callus cell cultures experienced microgravity for 8 days. The number of formed roots under the influence of this factor was 36% relative to the stationary control. Root cap formation was abnormal. Gravireceptor cells did not formed under microgravity.