Woody plant species are valuable reservoirs of bioactive phytochemicals with significant pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and industrial applications. However, conventional extraction from mature plants is often constrained by slow growth rates, environmental variability, and sustainability concerns. This chapter explores plant cell suspension culture as a sustainable and controllable alternative to produce secondary metabolites from woody species. It outlines the fundamental steps of culture development, from callus induction to the establishment of uniform suspension cultures, while emphasizing the physiological and environmental factors influencing cell growth and metabolite biosynthesis. Methods for evaluating metabolite production and bioactivity are briefly described. Furthermore, the chapter discusses both traditional and advanced strategies to enhance productivity, such as elicitation and metabolic engineering. Key considerations for bioreactor scale-up, including cultivation parameters and process design, are also addressed. By integrating concepts from plant biotechnology and bioprocess engineering, this chapter highlights the potential of cell cultures as renewable biofactories for high-value phytochemicals in woody plant species and underscores their growing importance in sustainable biomanufacturing and the circular bioeconomy.
Plant Cell Cultures as Renewable Biofactories for High-Value Phytochemicals in Woody Plant Species
Xu X.;Pistelli L.;
2026-01-01
Abstract
Woody plant species are valuable reservoirs of bioactive phytochemicals with significant pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and industrial applications. However, conventional extraction from mature plants is often constrained by slow growth rates, environmental variability, and sustainability concerns. This chapter explores plant cell suspension culture as a sustainable and controllable alternative to produce secondary metabolites from woody species. It outlines the fundamental steps of culture development, from callus induction to the establishment of uniform suspension cultures, while emphasizing the physiological and environmental factors influencing cell growth and metabolite biosynthesis. Methods for evaluating metabolite production and bioactivity are briefly described. Furthermore, the chapter discusses both traditional and advanced strategies to enhance productivity, such as elicitation and metabolic engineering. Key considerations for bioreactor scale-up, including cultivation parameters and process design, are also addressed. By integrating concepts from plant biotechnology and bioprocess engineering, this chapter highlights the potential of cell cultures as renewable biofactories for high-value phytochemicals in woody plant species and underscores their growing importance in sustainable biomanufacturing and the circular bioeconomy.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
