Targeted at beginners as well as experienced users, Flow Cytometry with Plant Cells explains the benefits and uses of flow cytometery in the study of plants and their genomes.

Following a brief introduction that highlights general considerations when analyzing plant cells by flow cytometric methods, the book goes on to discuss examples of application in plant genetics, genomic analysis, cell cycle analysis, marine organism analysis and breeding studies.

With its list of general reading and a glossary of terms, this first reference on FCM in plants fills a real gap by providing first-hand practical hints for the growing community of plant geneticists.

Contents

Cytometry and Cytometers: Development and Growth

• Origins
• From Absorption to Fluorescence, from Imaging to Flow
• The Growth of Multiparameter Flow Cytometry
• Bench-tops and Behemoths: Convergent Evolution
• Image Cytometry: New Beginnings?

Principles of Flow Cytometry

• A Brief History of Flow Cytometry
• Components of a Flow Cytometer
• Flow Cytometric Informatics
• Spectral Compensation
• Cell Sorting
• Calibration Issues

Flow Cytometry with Plants: an Overview

• Fluorescence is a Fundamental Parameter
• Pushing Plants through the Flow Cytometer
• Application of Flow Cytometry in Plants
• A Flow Cytometer in Every Laboratory?

Nuclear DNA Content Measurement

• Nuclear DNA Content: Words, Concepts and Symbols
• Units for Presenting DNA Amounts and their Conversion Factors
• Sample Preparation for Flow Cytometric DNA Measurement
• Standardization
• Fluorescence Inhibitors and Coatings of Debris
• Quality Control and Data Presentation

Flow Cytometry and Ploidy: Applications in Plant Systematics, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

• Practical Considerations
• Applications in Plant Systematics
• Applications in Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Reproduction Mode Screening

• Analyses of the Mode of Reproduction
• A Recent Innovative Method: the Flow Cytometric Seed Screen
• Flow Cytometry with Mature Seeds for other Purposes

Genome Size and its Uses: the Impact of Flow Cytometry

• Why is Genome Size Important?
• What is Known about Genome Size in Plants?
• The Extent of Genome Size Variation across Plant Taxa
• Understanding the Consequences of Genome Size Variation: Ecological and Evolutionary Implications
• Methods of Estimating Genome Size in Plants and the Impact of Flow Cytometry
• Recent Developments and the Future of Flow Cytometry in Genome Size Research

DNA Base Composition of Plant Genomes

• Analysis of Base Composition by Flow Cytometry

Detection and Viability Assessment of Plant Pathogenic Microorganisms using Flow Cytometry

• Viability Assessment
• Immunodetection

Protoplast Analysis using Flow Cytometry and Sorting

• Results of Protoplast Analyses using Flow Cytometry and Sorting
• Walled Plant Cells: Special Cases for Flow Analysis and Sorting
• Prospects

Flow Cytometry of Chloroplasts

• Chloroplast Signals in Flow Cytometry
• Progress of Research

DNA Flow Cytometry in Non-vascular Plants

• Nuclear DNA Content and Genome Size Analysis
• Future Perspectives

Phytoplankton and their Analysis by Flow Cytometry

• Plankton and their Importance
• Considerations for using Flow Cytometry
• Sampling: How, Where and When
• Monitoring Applications
• Ecological Applications
• Marine Optics and Flow Cytometry

Cell Cycle Analysis in Plants

• Univariate Cell Cycle Analysis in Plant Cells
• BrdUrd Incorporation to Determine Cycling Populations
• Cell Cycle Synchronization Methods: Analysis of Cell Cycle Transitions in Cultured Plant Cells
• Plant Protoplasts to Study the Cell Cycle
• Root Meristems for Cell Cycle Synchronization
• Study of Cell Cycle Regulation by using Synchronized Cell Cultures and Flow Cytometry
• Cell Cycle and Plant Development
• Flow Cytometry of Dissected Tissues in Developmental Time Series
• Cell Type-specific Characterization of Nuclear DNA Content by Flow Cytometry
• Other Methods and Imaging Technologies to Monitor Cell Cycle Parameters and Cell Division Kinetics in Developing Organs

Endopolyploidy in Plants and its Analysis by Flow Cytometry

• Methods to Analyze Endopolyploidy 15.3 Occurrence of Endopolyploidy 15.4 Factors Modifying the Degree of Endopolyploidization 15.5 Dynamics of Endopolyploidization 15.6 Endopolyploidy and Plant Breeding

Chromosome Analysis and Sorting

• How Does it Work?
• How it All Began
• Development of Flow Cytogenetics in Plants
• Applications of Flow Cytogenetics
• Conclusions and Future Prospects

Analysis of Plant Gene Expression Using Flow Cytometry and Sorting

• Methods, Technologies, and Results 17.3 Prospects

FLOWER: A Plant DNA Flow Cytometry Database

• Taxonomic Representation in DNA Content Studies
• Nuclear Isolation and Staining Buffers
• Standardization and Standards
• Fluorochromes
• Quality Measures of Nuclear DNA Content Analyses
• The Uses of DNA Flow Cytometry in Plants
• Instrumentation
• Where Are the Results Published?

Index

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