Re: What are the cellular changes that occur when kinetin is added to Chlorophy

Dear Mary Jo,

    A very interesting question. First off kinetin is considered a 
cytokinin which is a plant hormone. Now the cellular changes that occur 
when kinetin is added to a cell are numerous. Cytokinins basically cause 
four specific changes in a cell. The first is to induce cell division in 
cells in the presence of auxins (another plant hormone), the second is to 
promote bud or root formation from cell cultures when the appropriate 
ratio of cytokinins to auxins are present, the third is to delay the 
senescence (start of death) of cells and thus leaves, and fourth is to 
promote expansion of dicot cotyledons. So in reference to your question is 
that by the addition of kinetin to a cell more cells divide which in turn 
produce more chlorophyll. And since kinetin delays senescence, the 
chlorophyll in the other cells remains active longer in the leaves. So by 
these two outcomes of kinetin addition, chlorophyll remains in the leaves 
longer and more chlorophyll is being produced as additional cells divide. 
The combination of these two causes chlorophyll accumulation and thus the 
numbers you stated become true. This won't last very long, however, as the 
plant responds to this over accumulation of kinetin and balances the 
hormones within the plant out.