Callus culture
"Callus culture" is a free, interactive Class 11 Biology simulation for NEET, built on the NCERT section "Differentiation, dedifferentiation and redifferentiation" in Plant Growth and Development. Put a piece of mature parenchyma on medium: with the right auxin and cytokinin it dedifferentiates into dividing callus, then redifferentiates into shoots or roots depending on the ratio. NEET has asked about this idea 3 times in 10 years of papers.
From the lesson Differentiation, dedifferentiation and redifferentiation in Plant Growth and Development. Change the values and watch what happens.
What it shows
NCERT §13.2, §13.4.2
Put a piece of mature parenchyma on medium: with the right auxin and cytokinin it dedifferentiates into dividing callus, then redifferentiates into shoots or roots depending on the ratio.
Controls
4 to try
- Sliderauxin 0–5 mg/L
- Slidercytokinin 0–5 mg/L
- Sliderdays 0–40
- Readoutcell state (differentiated / dividing / redifferentiated)
Try this
Turn an explant into callus, then get shoots and not roots by changing only the ratio.
Common mistake
Dedifferentiated cells were never specialised; vascular cambium named as a dedifferentiation product.
In NEET
10 years of papers
Asked 3 times in 10 years of NEET.
See the past questions: Plant Growth and Development (chapter)
The idea behind it
NCERT §13.2
- Cells produced by the root and shoot apical meristems and the cambium mature to perform specific functions. This maturation is differentiation, and during it cells undergo minor to major changes in their walls and protoplasm.
- Example: to become a tracheary element a cell loses its protoplasm and builds a strong, elastic, lignocellulosic secondary wall that can carry water over long distances even under extreme tension.
- Dedifferentiation: living differentiated cells that had lost the ability to divide regain it under certain conditions. Examples: interfascicular cambium and cork cambium formed from fully differentiated parenchyma cells.
- Redifferentiation: cells produced by such dedifferentiated tissue once again lose the ability to divide and mature to perform specific functions.
- Plant growth is open, and so is differentiation: cells from the same meristem can have different structures at maturity.
- Position helps decide the final form. A cell pushed out ahead of the root apical meristem becomes part of the root cap; a cell pushed sideways to the outer edge matures as epidermis.
Questions
4 answers
- What does the "Callus culture" simulation show?
- Put a piece of mature parenchyma on medium: with the right auxin and cytokinin it dedifferentiates into dividing callus, then redifferentiates into shoots or roots depending on the ratio.
- What mistake does the "Callus culture" simulation fix?
- A common mistake it clears up: dedifferentiated cells were never specialised; vascular cambium named as a dedifferentiation product.
- Has NEET asked about this idea?
- Yes. NEET has asked about this idea 3 times in 10 years of papers.
- Is this simulation free?
- Yes. It is free and runs in the browser on a phone or a laptop. It belongs to the lesson "Differentiation, dedifferentiation and redifferentiation" in Plant Growth and Development (Class 11 Biology).
Embed this simulation
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