ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on cell multiplication is basic to the theme of higher plant cell biotechnology. For an understanding of cell multiplication, a peep into the past will be in order because the history of plant cell culture is quite instructive. Of the hormones, auxin is an essential requirement for cell proliferation as well as cell multiplication. In the absence of wound reaction, chemical environment serves both for induction of cell proliferation as well as for cell multiplication. Otherwise, chemical environment is essential for cell multiplication, the growth response. When cells are induced to proliferate, either in response to chemical environment or in response to wound reaction, to begin with, cells in the outer region alone are induced to divide. Very little attention has been given to physical factors such as light, temperature, and humidity in the induction of cell proliferation.
