Protoplast Preparation Reagents

A protoplast is a spherical cell (a mass of cytoplasm) enveloped by the plasma membrane, which is obtained by treating plant cells and the like with cell wall degrading enzymes. When cultured under appropriate conditions, a protoplast can maintain its function as a cell, and it is also possible to reproduce a plant from a single protoplast.

At present, protoplasts are essential for plant cell engineering. For example, protoplast cells can be fused using polyethylene glycol (PEG) or an electrofusion method, which enables fusion of different kinds of cells and to obtain a polyploid. The "pomato," produced by fusion of the potato and tomato, is a famous example of cell fusion between different species.

Genes can be introduced into protoplast cells relatively easily, and thus protoplasts are used for the production of transformants. An electroporation method and microinjection method are used as techniques of gene transfer.

Fujifilm Wako offers a line-up of cellulase used for degradation of cell walls, and saccharides and amino acids used for preparation of culture medium and enzyme solutions, as protoplast preparation reagents.