ZenToks Publication

Chapter 1

Exploring the molecular mechanism behind somatic embryogenesis-a multistep event of cellular reprogramming

Abstract/Preface

Somatic embryogenesis is an important technique of plant tissue culture through which somatic cells deviate from normal developmental pathway and undergo an embryogenic pathway to differentiate into embryo and ultimately fertile plant. It is a process involving complete cellular reprogramming and is an excellent means of understanding the morpho-molecular regulation of plant embryogenesis. SE involves progression of somatic cells from differentiated / pluripotent state to totipotent state and then back to differentiated state. An insight into this process suggests that it is a very complex process involving many stages of development which are controlled by different factors. Most of these factors help somatic cells to gain embryogenic competence and follow embryogenic developmental pathway. A great number of genes and transcription factors (TF) plays part in this event of cellular re-programming, most of which are involved in development pathways. Some of these are MADS box gene, WUSCHEL, LEC, LEA and others. The vital role of these factors in somatic embryogenesis have been described in this article.