Ginsenoside production,growth and cytogenetic characteristics of sustained <Emphasis Type="Italic">Panax japonicus</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Repens</Emphasis> cell suspension culture

Cytophysiological and cytogenetic characteristics of cell suspension culture of Panax japonicus var. repens were studied in relation to the accumulation of ginsenosides (GSs). The minimal time of cell number doubling was 1.3 ± 0.1 d and cell number increased 7 to 8-fold during growth cycle. The cell culture can be considered as aneuploid with about tetraploid (46–60 chromosomes) modal class. Upon long-term cultivation, the total content of GSs considerably increased and maximal concentration of GSs was 2.2 %(d.m.). The ratio of seven major GSs only slightly altered both over each and different subcultures. The overall amount of GSs of Rg-group significantly exceeded that of Rb-group. Cell volume and the number of large cellular aggregates with the higher proportion (by 20 %) of parenchymal cells increased late in the subculture. In this time the population contained about 20 % of the cells with doubled amount of nuclear DNA and accompanied with elevation in the GS content. These data prompted us to suggest that biosynthesis of GSs has a link with cell differentiation. In memory of Prof. R.G. Butenko