Characterization and application of plant hairy roots endowed with photosynthetic functions

The scope of this review includes the physiological properties of the hairy roots induced by light irradiation and the kinetic analysis considering the effects of light intensity on hairy root cultures. The cell lines of photomixotrophic and photoautotrophic hairy roots of pak-bung are established from heterotrophic ones by improving the photosynthetic ability of hairy roots through acclimation cultures under light irradiation. Comparisons of physiological properties of derived photoautotrophic cell line with photomixotrophic and heterotrophic ones are also made through histological examination. Moreover, the effect of photosynthesis inhibitor on the photoautotrophic growth of the hairy roots is described. By elucidating the influences of light intensity on growth and chlorophyll formation of photoautotrophic and photomixotrophic hairy roots, a kinetic model was applied to describe the hairy root growth and chlorophyll formation of these cell lines of hairy roots.