Differentiation, Dedifferentiation and Redifferentiation in plant tissue culture

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Differentiation occurs in plants when cells from the root apical and shoot apical meristems, as well as the cambium, differentiate and mature to execute specialised roles. Living plant cells lose their ability to divide once they have been differentiated. However, under some circumstances, this power to divide further can be recovered. Dedifferentiation is the process by which mature cells reverse their differentiated state and acquire pluripotency. Redifferentiation is the process by which dedifferentiated cells lose their ability to divide and become specialised to perform a role by converting into a part of the permanent tissue. The main distinction between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation is this.

Differentiation

Plant cells are formed from shoot apex, root apex, and cambium meristems by a process known as differentiation, in which cells are differentiated into distinct structures to fulfill diverse roles in the plant body. During this process, the plant cell wall and protoplasm undergo significant structural modifications. Differentiation occurs in the xylem of vascular plants’ tracheary components. The cells lose their protoplasm, and the cellulose cell walls lignify into secondary cell walls, increasing their flexibility and allowing them to survive high pressure conditions during water transport over longer distances.

Dedifferentiation

Plant cells that have already differentiated and lost the ability to divide regain the ability to divide and differentiate under particular conditions. Dedifferentiation is the term for this process. Dedifferentiation of completely differentiated parenchyma cells leads to the production of cork cambium and interfascicular cambium. A dedifferentiated tissue has the potential to function as a meristem, giving rise to a new set of cells. The ability of those cells to differentiate further is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetic and epigenetic differences. This notion is utilised to create a callus in plant tissue culture.

Redifferentiation

The cells lose their ability to divide and differentiate once new cells are produced from the dedifferentiated tissues that act as meristems. They eventually mature in order to perform various roles within the plant body. The greatest examples of secondary xylem and secondary phloem to describe the redifferentiation process are secondary xylem and secondary phloem. The secondary xylem on the inside and secondary phloem on the exterior emerge from the dedifferentiated vascular cambium. The secondary phloem and secondary xylem cells lose their capacity to divide and mature into mature cells that perform different activities in the plant body, such as food and water transportation.

Similarities between Dedifferentiation and redifferentiation

• Cells change their ability to divide through two mechanisms: dedifferentiation and redifferentiation.
• Both processes occur in differentiated cells.
• Both systems are also important in the genesis and healing of damage.

Difference between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation 

Definition

Dedifferentiation is the process by which structures or behaviours that are specialised for a specific function lose that specialisation and become simplified or generalised, whereas redifferentiation is the process by which a group of previously differentiated cells returns to their original specialised form. The primary distinction between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation is thus this.

Role

Furthermore, dedifferentiated tissue, such as interfascicular vascular cambium, cork cambium, and wound meristem, functions as meristematic tissue, whereas redifferentiated tissue functions as functionally-specialized tissue. As a result, another distinction between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation exists.

Importance

Another distinction between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation is that dedifferentiation permits the plant body to develop new cells at a specific area, whereas redifferentiation is necessary for the plant to execute a certain function.

Examples

Dedifferentiation is the creation of the interfascicular cambium and cork cambium from completely differentiated parenchyma cells, whereas redifferentiation is the development of the vascular cambium into secondary xylem and phloem. 

Plasticity

Some plants use different growth routes to develop different sorts of structures in response to their surroundings or life stages. Plasticity is the name given to this characteristic of plants. Coriander leaves, for example, have a distinct form when they are young than when they are grown. Heterophylly is the term for this phenomenon. Cotton and larkspur have heterophylly as well. When buttercups develop in water, their leaves take on distinct shapes than when they grow in the air. Another example of plasticity is this.

Conclusion

Dedifferentiation is the process through which differentiated cells regain the ability to divide mitotically. As a result, the dedifferentiated tissue in the plant body functions as distinct meristematic tissue. As a result, this mechanism is critical for the generation of new cells at a specific site. Redifferentiation, on the other hand, is the loss of differentiated cells’ recovered ability to divide. It enables functional specialisation of these cells, allowing them to execute a specific purpose inside the plant. The influence on the differentiated cells’ ability to divide is the major difference between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation.