Pass the scalpel please Igor

[Wishin']

This whole thing is really fascinating, thank you for sharing it.

 

[jackb]

Its alive, its alive! The Kalamata olive seed planted on January 26, 2014 is starting to look more like Nessie the Loch Ness monster than an olive, interesting but ugly. This morning I sent this photo to the professor to get her opinion as to what to expect and asked if I am wasting my time on this particular plant.
jackb

 

[Wishin']

It certainly looks interesting.

 

[jackb]

In 1839 a man named Theodor Schwann proposed a theory known as cell totipotency, which stated that any plant cell has the capability to regenerate the entire plant. The theory was finally demonstrated in the 1950s.

Last week I accidentally broke the tiny radicle tip off a Kalamata seedling that was beginning to germinate. Knowing that the tip of the radicle contains meristem tissue I decided to try to regenerate an entire plant from just the tip of the radicle.

The tip was about 1/8" in length and pure white when I placed it into tissue culture media. It has doubled in size, turned green and is actively growing. It should be interesting to watch and see what it does.

Now, imagine if humans had this property also.

jackb

 

[Smart Red]

Jackb, I love hearing of your adventures and seeing pictures of the results. That picture reminds me of an early ultra-sound. A baby (something) in the making. Igor indeed!

 

[jackb]

Some of you may recall my great olive misadventure of last summer. My sainted uncle Patrick would tell me: "There is more than one way to skin a cat Jackie." I never saw him skin a cat, but remembered his advice. Plan B is progressing nicely, and I may in fact have the rare tree after all.
jackb

 

[so lucky]

Again, your patience is amazing. It does look like Nessie. Is that a gel growing medium you have Nessie in?

 

[jackb]

The seed is in a medium for simple germination. It has no hormones for multiplication. I will settle for a single plant, but I have two seeds starting to sprout.
jackb

 

[Smart Red]

Way to go! Couldn't see it well, but I did see green and that's a good thing.

 

[jackb]

Olive seeds can take a year to germinate, the green is the cotlyedons forming. This Trilye seed was only placed in the test tube on 4/3/14, amazing.
jackb