Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of cell turgor on hydraulic conductivity and elastic modulus of Elodea leaf cells

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Water relation parameters of leaf cells of the aquatic plant Elodea densa have been measured using the pressure probe. For cells in both the upper and lower epidermis it was found that the elastic modulus (ε) and the hydraulic conductivity (Lp) were dependent on cell turgor (P). Lp was (7.8±5.5)·10-7 cm s-1 bar-1 (mean±SD; n=22 cells) for P>4 bar in cells of the upper epidermis and was increasing by a factor of up to three for P→0 bar. No polarity of water movement or concentration dependence of Lp was observed. For cells of the lower epidermis the Lp-values were similar and the hydraulic conductivity also showed a similar dependence on turgor. No wall ingrowth or wall labyrinths (as in transfer cells) could be found in the cells of the lower epidermis. The elastic modulus (ε) of cells of the upper epidermis could be measured over the whole pressure range (P=0–7 bar) by changing the osmotic pressure of the medium. ε increased linearly with increasing turgor and ranged between 10 and 150 bar. For cells of the lower epidermis the dependence of ε on P was similar, although the pressure dependence could not be measured on single cells. The Lp-values are compared with literature data obtained for Elodea by a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-technique. The dependence of Lp on P is discussed in terms of pressure dependent structural changes of the cell membranes and interactions between solute and water transport.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

P :

cell turgor pressure

Lp:

hydraulic conductivity

ε:

volumetric elastic modulus

T 1/2 :

half-time of water exchange of individual cell

References

  • Büchner, K.-H., Zimmermann, U., Bentrup, F.-W. (1980) Turgor pressure and water transport properties of suspension-cultured cells of Chenopodium rubrum L. Planta 151, 95–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Conlon, T., Outhred, R. (1972) Water diffusion permeability of erythrocytes using an NMR technique. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 288, 354–361

    Google Scholar 

  • Coster, H.G.L., Steudle, E., Zimmermann, U. (1976) Turgor pressure sensing in plant cell membranes. Plant Physiol. 58, 636–643

    Google Scholar 

  • Coster, H.G.L., Zimmermann, U. (1975) Direct demonstration of dielectric breakdown in the membranes of Valonia utricularis Z. Naturforsch 30c, 77–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Dainty, J. (1972) Plant cell-water relation: The elasticity of the cell wall. Proc. R. Soc. Edinburgh A 70, 89–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Dainty J. (1976) Water relations of plant cells In: Encyclopedia of plant physiology, N.S. vol. 2, part A pp. 12–35, Lüttge, U., Pitman, N.G., eds. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Dainty J., Ginzburg, B.Z. (1964) The measurement of hydraulic conductivity (osmotic permeability to water) of internodal characean cells by means of transcellular osmosis. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 79, 102–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Falk, H., Sitte, P. (1963) Zellfeinbau bei Plasmolyse. 1. Der Feinbau der Elodea-Blattzellen. Protoplasma 57, 290–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Hastings, D.F., Gutknecht, J. (1974) Turgor pressure regulation: Modulation of active potassium transport by hydrostatic pressure gradients. In: Membrane transport in plants, pp. 79–83, Zimmermann, U., Dainty, J., eds. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • House, C.R. (1974) Water transport in cells and tissues. Edward Arnold, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hüsken, D., Steudle, E., Zimmermann, U. (1978) Pressure probe technique for measuring water relations of cells in higher plants. Plant Physiol. 61, 158–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeschke, W.D., Simonis, W. (1965) Über die Aufnahme von Phosphat-und Sulfationen durch Blätter von Elodea densa und ihre Beeinflussung durch Licht, Temperatur und Außenkonzentration. Planta 67, 157–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamiya, N., Tazawa, M., (1956) Studies of water permeability of a single plant cell by means of transcellular osmosis. Protoplasma 46, 394–422

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiyosawa, K., Tazawa, M. (1973) Rectification characteristic of Nitella membranes in respect to water permeability. Protoplasma 78, 203–214

    Google Scholar 

  • Pate, J.S., Gunning, B.E.S. (1972) Transfer cells. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 23, 173–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, I.W., Ličko, V., Bartoli, E. (1973) The nature of passive flows through tightly folded membranes. J. Membr. Biol. 11, 293–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Steudle, E., Lüttge, U., Zimmermann, U. (1975) Water relations of the epidermal bladder cells of the halophytic species Mesembryanthermum crystallinum: Direct measurement of hydraulic pressure and hydraulic conductivity. Planta 126, 229–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Steudle, E., Smith, J.A.C., Lüttge, U. (1980) Water relation parameters of individual mesophyll cells of the CAM plant Kalanchoë daigremontiana. Plant Physiol 66, 1155–1163

    Google Scholar 

  • Steudle, E., Zimmermann, U. (1971) Hydraulische Leitfähigkeit von Valonia utricularis. Z. Naturforsch. 26b, 1302–1311

    Google Scholar 

  • Steudle, E., Zimmermann, U. (1974) Determination of the hydraulic conductivity and of reflection coefficients in Nitella flexilis by means of direct cell-turgor pressure measurements. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 332, 399–412

    Google Scholar 

  • Steudle, E., Zimmermann, U. (1978) Comments on: Effect of turgor pressure on water permeability of Allium cepa epidermis cell membranes. J. Membr. Biol. 41, 87–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Steudle, E., Zimmermann, U., Lelkes, P.I. (1977a) Volume and pressure effects on the potassium fluxes of Valonia utricularis. In: Transmembrane ionic exchange in plants, pp. 123–132, Thellier, M., Monnier, A., Demarty, M., Dainty, J., eds. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Steudle, E., Zimmermann, U., Lüttge, U. (1977b) Effect of turgor pressure and cell size on the wall elasticity of plant cells. Plant Physiol. 59, 285–289

    Google Scholar 

  • Stout, D.G., Steponkus, P.L., Cotts, R.M. (1977) The diffusional water permeability of Elodea leaf cells measured by nuclear magnetic resonance. Can. J. Bot. 55, 1623–1631

    Google Scholar 

  • Stout, D.G., Steponkus, P.L., Cotts, R.M. (1978a) Nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation times and plasmalemma water exchange in ivy bark. Plant Physiol. 62, 636–641

    Google Scholar 

  • Stout, D.G., Steponkus, P.L., Cotts, R.M. (1978b) Water permeability of Chlorella cell membranes by nuclear magnetic resonance. Measured diffusion coefficients and relaxation times. Plant Physiol. 62, 146–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Tazawa, M., Kiyosawa, K. (1973) Analysis of transcellular water movement in Nitella: A new procedure to determine the inward and outward water permeabilities of membranes. Protoplasma 78, 349–364

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomos, A.D., Steudle, E., Zimmermann, U., Schulze, E.-D. (1981) Water relations of leaf epidermal cells of Tradescantia virginiana. Plant Physiol. 68, 1135–1143

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, U. (1980) Pressure mediated osmoregulatory processes and pressure sensing mechanisms. In: Animals and environmental fitness pp. 441–459, Gilles R., ed. Pergamon Press, Oxford New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, U., Benz, R., Koch, H. (1981a) A new electronic method for the determination of the true membrane area and the individual membrane resistances in plant cells Planta 152, 352–355

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, U., Hüsken, D. (1979) Theoretical and experimental exclusion of errors in the determination of the elasticity and water transport parameters of plant cells by the pressure probe technique. Plant Physiol. 64, 18–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, U., Hüsken, D., Schulze, E.-D. (1980) Direct turgor pressure measurements in individual leaf cells of Tradescantia virginiana. Planta 149, 445–453

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, U., Räde, H., Steudle, E. (1969) Kontinuierliche Druckmessung in Pflanzenzellen. Naturwissenschaften 56, 634

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, U., Scheurich, P., Pilwat, G., Benz, R. (1981b) Cells with manipulated functions: New perspectives for cell biology, medicine and technology. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 20, 325–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, U., Steudle, E. (1974) The pressure dependence of the hydraulic conductivity, the cell membrane resistance and the membrane potential during turgor pressure regulation in Valonia utricularis J. Membr. Biol. 16, 331–352

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, U., Steudle, E. (1975) The hydraulic conductivity and volumetric elastic modulus of cells and isolated cell walls of Nitella and Chara spp: Pressure and volume effects. Austr. J. Plant Physiol. 2, 1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, U., Steudle, E. (1978) Physical aspects of water relations of plant cells. Adv. Bot. Res. 6, 45–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, U., Steudle, E. (1980) Fundamental water relation parameters. In: Plant membrane transport: current conceptual issues, pp. 113–128, Spanswick, R.M., Lucas, W.J., Dainty, J., eds. Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arbeitsgruppe Membranforschung am Institut für Medizin, Kernforschungsanlage Jülich GmbH, Postfach 1913, D-5170, Jülich, Federal Republic of Germany

    Ernst Steudle, Ulrich Zimmermann & Josef Zillikens

Authors
  1. Ernst Steudle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ulrich Zimmermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Josef Zillikens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Steudle, E., Zimmermann, U. & Zillikens, J. Effect of cell turgor on hydraulic conductivity and elastic modulus of Elodea leaf cells. Planta 154, 371–380 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393917

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393917

Key words

Search

Navigation