PPH-30306 Plant Cell and Tissue Culture

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Basic knowledge on plant physiology, plant cell biology, and genetics, as taught in: GEN-11806 Fundamentals of Genetics and Molecular Biology; CLB-10803 Reproduction of Plants; PPH-10806 Structure and Function of Plants or equivalent courses.

Continuation courses:

MSc thesis PPH, CLB, GEN.

Contents:

Note: This course has a maximum number of participants. The deadline for registration is one week earlier than usual. See 2014/2015 Academic Year (www.wageningenur.nl/en/Education-Programmes/Current-Students/Agenda-Calendar-Academic-Year.htm) -> Registration for Courses 2014-2015.

The aim of this course is to provide a thorough understanding of theoretical and practical aspects of plant cell and tissue culture.
Topics include: plant regeneration, genetic modification, cellular and physiological aspects of differentiation, somatic embryogenesis, secondary metabolism, hormonal regulation of differentiation.
Students for whom this course is compulsory will have priority, but nevertheless they are advised to register as early as possible.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students expected to be able to:
- explain and discuss the general theoretical backgrounds of plant cell and tissue culture, comprising regeneration, plant genetic modification, cellular and physiological aspects of differentiation of plant tissue cultures (including hormonal aspects), somatic embryogenesis, secondary metabolism;
- find, read, understand and integrate literature in the field of plant cell and tissue culture, comprising the aspects mentioned under the previous point;
- devise, carry out and interpret experiments in plant cell and tissue culture, comprising a.o. handling various forms of plant tissue culture (including somatic embryogenesis and anther/microspore cultures), induction of secondary metabolite pathways, Agrobacterium transformation and induction of mutants, using general prescriptions;
- devise, carry out, interpret and present a non-standard experiment in the field of plant cell and tissue culture, based on own literature search and own ideas.

Activities:

Theoretical aspects will be taught during lectures and by studying and discussing recent research papers. A large part of the course will be devoted to practical work. Besides 'standard' experiments, students will devise, set up and carry out their own new experiment.

Examination:

- written exam, with open questions (50%)
- written reports of experiments (50%).

Literature:

At the start of the course, a syllabus will be supplied.