(ECNS) -- Chinese researchers have mapped how single somatic cells reprogram into totipotent states during plant regeneration, shedding light on a biological puzzle that has challenged scientists for more than a century.

The findings, led by Professor Zhang Xiansheng of Shandong Agricultural University, clarify how plant cells can regain the ability to form all tissues of a new organism. Researchers said the work could provide a foundation for improving crop genetics and regeneration efficiency.

The concept of "plant cell totipotency" was first proposed in 1902, suggesting that individual plant cells could revert to a state similar to fertilized eggs and develop into complete plants. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remained unclear.

Zhang's team began exploring the problem in 2005 using Arabidopsis thaliana, a model organism widely used in plant biology. With tools such as electron microscopy and single-cell sequencing, they captured for the first time the full division process of a single plant cell.

The results show a direct route from epidermal somatic cells to totipotency and detail how transcriptional and hormonal signals combine to unlock regenerative potential.

Chong Kang, a professor at the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the research not only deepens understanding of the mechanism of plant cell totipotency but opens new pathways to address the long-standing regeneration bottleneck in agricultural biotechnology.

Application of this research is being simultaneously advanced in experiments on crops such as wheat, corn, and soybeans.