1992 Volume 38 Pages 48-53
Marchantia protoplasts (regenerated cells) which had been cultured for 18 to 22 hrs and regenerated new cell wall showed the highest tolerance to osmotic dehydration as compared with either protopalasts before culture or callus tissues from which protoplasts were isolated. The tolerance of regenerated cells decreased to the level of protoplasts when these cells were treated with cell wall digesting enzyme containing cellulase activity. However, the tolerance was maintained when the cells were treated with the enzyme in 2.0 M BSS (Balanced salt solution, NaCl:CaCl_2=9:1), although the regenerated cell wall was removed by the enzyme digestion. These results suggest that the presence of the complete form of cell wall is not necessary for the tolerance to osmotic dehydration, but some structure(s) which is not digested by the enzyme in 2.0 M BSS is involved in the tolerance mechanism.
