Some uses of tissue expiants in the teaching of protein synthesis

Abstract

Some of the possible uses of tissue slices derived from the storage organs of higher plants are described. During the incubation of tissue slices in distilled water, fundamental and rapid changes occur. The changes are thought to be part of a new develop mental sequence initiated by excision. The processes underlying these changes are seen to operate in other more complex systems. Experiments are described in which inhibitors are used to investigate the timing of transcription and translation of the messenger RNA for the enzyme invertase. It is suggested that plant tissue slices provide adaptable material with which to study enzyme induction, protein synthesis, and cell differentiation at sixth-form level.