Aspects of Growth and Metabolism in a Suspension Culture of Acer pseudoplatanus (L. ) Grown on a Glycerol Carbon Source

A suspension culture of Acer pseudoplatanus cells was transferredfrom medium containing 2% (w/v) glucose to an identical onecontaining glycerol at 2% (w/v) as the sole carbon source. Thepatterns of cell number increase, dry weight increase, and changesin packed cell volume showed marked differences as a resultof this transfer. The glucose-grown cultures contained a small proportion of cellsof exceptionally large diameter, and transfer to the glycerolcarbon source appeared to bring about a considerable increasein their number. These larger cells, in both glucose- and glycerol-containingcultures, exhibited considerable differences in cell wall architecturewhen compared with their smaller counterparts. They appearedmore irregular, and had much looser cellulose microfibril arrangementin their outer layers