Callus and suspension culture induction, maintenance, and characterization.

Callus and cell suspension can be used for long-term cell cultures maintenance. This chapter describes procedures for the induction of somatic embryos of garlic, keeping a regeneration capacity for more than 5 yr, as well as the maintenance of a tobacco suspension culture (NT-1 cells), for more than 10 yr. Methods for plant regeneration and growth kinetics of garlic cultures are described, as well as for cell viability of NT-1 cells stained with 2,3,5 triphenyltetrazolium chloride. The packed cell volume determination as a parameter of growth is detailed.