Metabolites are the intermediates and products of metabolism. The term metabolite is usually restricted to small molecules.

Metabolites have various functions, including fuel, structure, signaling, stimulatory and inhibitory effects on enzymes, catalytic activity of their own (usually as a cofactor to an enzyme), defense, and interactions with other organisms (e.g. pigments, odorants, and pheromones). A primary metabolite is directly involved in normal growth, development, and reproduction. Alcohol is an example of a primary metabolite produced in large-scale by industrial microbiology. A secondary metabolite is not directly involved in those processes, but usually has an important ecological function. Examples include antibiotics and pigments such as resins and terpenes etc. Some antibiotics use primary metabolites as precursors, such as actinomycin
Plasmodesmata are narrow channels that act as intercellular cytoplasmic bridges to facilitate communication and transport of materials between plant cells. The plasmodesmata serve to connect the symplastic space in the plant and are extremely specialized channels that allow for intercellular movement of water, various nutrients, and other molecules (including signalling molecules) (Epel, 1994). Plasmodesmata are located in narrow areas of cell walls called primary pit fields, and they are so dense in these areas (up to one million per square millimeter) that they make up one percent of the entire area of the cell wall (Salisbury and Ross, 1992):

There are several types of in vitro cultures just as there are many building materials within a plant 1. Culture of intact plants (a seed maybe sown in vitro from which a seedling, and finally a plant develops.. Such as an orchid 2. Embryo cultures 3. Organ culture: an isolated organ is grown in vitro. Different types can be distinguished. E.g. meristem culture, shoot-tip culture, root culture, anther culture. Often a part (tissue, mass, organ) which has been isolated form a plant is referred to as the explants and the culture of this is an explants culture. 4. Callus culture: if a differentiated tissue is isolated, allowed to de-differentiate in vitro and a socalled callus tissue produced, the process is termed callus structure.

Plant cell cultures are typically grown as cell suspension cultures in a liquid medium or as callus cultures on a solid medium. The culturing of undifferentiated plant cells and calli requires the proper balance of the plant growth hormones auxin and cytokinin.