Tissue Culture Studies onVicia Faba.II. Cytology

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Abstract
Cytological examination of cell aggregates of V. faba growing in a modified Bonner-Devirian basal liquid medium supplemented with (per liter): 40 gm. sucrose, 1 × 10–6 M 2,4-D and 3 gm. yeast extract have revealed a number of variations in nuclear behavior and chromosomal morphology. Contraction of metaphasic chromosomes, fragmentation and other structural changes leading to different anaphase and telophase bridges were exhibited by these cells. The cell aggregates showed a variation in the chromosome number at different levels of polyploidy with a predominance of the aneuploid condition from the diploid. Structural rearrangements resulting from chromosome breaks and subsequent reunions of the broken ends had probably produced this aneuploid condition. It is indicated that such cytological variations as were exhibited by these cells were possibly the result of the direct influence of the chemical substance(s) present in the medium on the mitotic pattern of such cells which were directly exposed to the culture medium.