Abstract
The nature of subthreshold changes in excitable plasma membranes has been investigated in stem parenchyma cells of Cucurbita pepo L. during action-potential generation induced by gradual cooling (from 23 to 10 ° C). The character of the subthreshold depolarization of excitable cells is shown to be mainly defined by a decrease in the activity of the plasma-membrane electrogenie pump (H+-ATPase). In its turn, the pump activity is controlled by thermal changes in the structure of the membrane lipid matrix. Based on the results obtained, a sequence of subthreshold changes has been suggested in which thermally induced structural rearrangements of membrane lipids play the role of trigger.
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Abbreviations
- AP:
-
action potential
- DCCD:
-
N,N′-dicyclohexil-carbodiimide
- Em :
-
membrane potential
- Ie/Im :
-
ratio of pyrene excimer/monomer fluorescence intensities
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Pyatygin, S.S., Opritov, V.A. & Khudyakov, V.A. Subthreshold changes in excitable membranes of Cucurbits pepo L. stem cells during cooling-induced action-potential generation. Planta 186, 161–165 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196244
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196244