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Developmental Significance of Light-Mediated Electrical Responses in Plant Tissue

  • Chapter
Photomorphogenesis

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology ((PLANT,volume 16))

Abstract

Electrical measurements in cells and tissues serve two major purposes. The first, previously reviewed in this series (Findlay and Hope 1976), is in the evaluation of whether the movement of particular ions across membranes is passive or active. The second is in the detection of membrane-localized changes that indicate alterations in the physiological status of plant cells. Since observations of electrical phenomena are made relatively non-destructively in living cells, they can provide a continuous record of cell membrane activity under a variety of physiological conditions. Accordingly, certain electrical measurements have proven to be useful in detailing the initial events of such complex responses as growth, nastic movements, morphogenetic transformations and reaction to stress. Although the electrical phenomena in plants precede conspicuous developmental changes, it is not clear if, or how, the electrical events play a causal role in these responses. This review intends to examine the evidence for light-induced changes in electrical parameters in plant tissue, and evaluate the relationship of such electrical signals to longer-term photomorphogenetic changes.

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Authors
  1. R. H. Racusen
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  2. A. W. Galston
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Radiation Biology Laboratory, Smithsonian Institution, 12441 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA

    W. Shropshire Jr.

  2. Biologisches Institut II, Universität Lehrstuhl für Botanik, Schänzlestr. 1, D-7800, Freiburg, Germany

    H. Mohr

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© 1983 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Racusen, R.H., Galston, A.W. (1983). Developmental Significance of Light-Mediated Electrical Responses in Plant Tissue. In: Shropshire, W., Mohr, H. (eds) Photomorphogenesis. Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology, vol 16. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68918-5_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68918-5_26

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-68920-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-68918-5

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