In Vitro Systems for the Study of Wood Formation

Abstract

Wood formation (xylogenesis) is a result of cambial activity, which constitutes secondary growth in many perennial plants. The differentiation of cambial initials into woody tissue and later into heartwood cells in a mature cambium which might be many years old is not directly accessible to experimental investigation, particularly in the area of molecular biology. This is partly due to the long time frames that are involved, but also to the presence of extractives and other chemical compounds as well as physical constraints (e.g., size and internal pressures) that present obstacles preventing easy microscopic and molecular assessment. The process of wood formation has, therefore, been broken..