Biotization and in vitro plant cell cultures: plant endophyte strategy in response to heavy metals knowledge in assisted phytoremediation

“Callus” is defined as massive growth of cells or disorganized plant cell masses (calli) produced from a single differentiated cell, totipotent and able to regenerate a whole plant; where the principal characteristic of differentiation is their plasticity. The use of in vitro systems allows the analysis of stress factors that affect metabolism and biochemical responses involved in plants. In vitro coculture of tissue explants with beneficial microbes defined as “biotization” enhances the response of them because plant growth-promoting bacteria induces developmental and metabolic changes that also favored a positive response against contaminants. This chapter reviews a particularly biotization process, analyzing the effect to cadmium by the response on growth and development of the desert plant Fouquieria splendens callus cocultivated with endophyte bacteria.