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The role of electrical fields, ions, and the cortex in the morphogenesis of Acetabularia

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Abstract

Electrophysiological and biochemical aspects of polarity determination and morphogenesis were studied in regenerating Acetabularia. The Ca++, Mg++ ionophore, A23187, reversibly inhibits the formation of apical structures (whorls and caps) but does not arrest longitudinal growth. This normal growth correlates with normal electrophysiology as reflected in an apico-basal electrical potential gradient and spontaneous recurrent action potentials which propagate from apex to base. However, the ionophore markedly elevates 32PO 3-3 incorporation into the cortical cytoplasm which is normally low apically and rises to a maximum at the base. A molecular model of membrane-dependent morphogenesis is suggested.

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Abbreviations

MP:

membrane potential

DMSO:

dimethylsulphoxide

DMSO:

plants kept in DMSO-medium

ASW:

artificial sea water

MED:

plants kept in normal medium

PD:

potential differences

ION:

plants kept in ionophore medium

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, BN1 9QG, Brighton, U.K.

    B. C. Goodwin & S. Pateromichelakis

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  1. B. C. Goodwin
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  2. S. Pateromichelakis
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Goodwin, B.C., Pateromichelakis, S. The role of electrical fields, ions, and the cortex in the morphogenesis of Acetabularia . Planta 145, 427–435 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00380096

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00380096

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