Research article Special Issues

Propagation of electrotonic potentials in plants: Experimental study and mathematical modeling

  • Received: 09 July 2016 Accepted: 06 August 2016 Published: 16 August 2016
  • Electrostimulation of electrical networks in plants can induce electrotonic or action potentials propagating along their leaves and stems. Both action and electrotonic potentials play important roles in plant physiology and in signal transduction between abiotic or biotic stress sensors and plant responses. It is well known that electrostimulation of plants can induce gene expression, enzymatic systems activation, electrical signaling, plant movements, and influence plant growth. Here we present the mathematical model of electrotonic potentials in plants, which is supported by the experimental data. The information gained from this mathematical model and analytical study can be used not only to elucidate the effects of electrostimulation on higher plants, but also to observe and predict the intercellular and intracellular communication in the form of electrical signals within electrical networks of plants. For electrostimulation, we used the pulse train, sinusoidal and a triangular saw-shape voltage profiles. The amplitude and sign of electrotonic potentials depend on the amplitude, rise and fall of the applied voltage. Electrostimulation by a sinusoidal wave from a function generator induces electrical response between inserted Ag/AgCl electrodes with a phase shift of 90o. This phenomenon shows that electrical networks in leaves of Aloe vera have electrical differentiators. Electrostimulation is an important tool for the evaluation of mechanisms of phytoactuators’ responses in plants without stimulation of abiotic or biotic stress phytosensors.

    Citation: Alexander G. Volkov, Yuri B. Shtessel. Propagation of electrotonic potentials in plants: Experimental study and mathematical modeling[J]. AIMS Biophysics, 2016, 3(3): 358-379. doi: 10.3934/biophy.2016.3.358

    Related Papers:

  • Electrostimulation of electrical networks in plants can induce electrotonic or action potentials propagating along their leaves and stems. Both action and electrotonic potentials play important roles in plant physiology and in signal transduction between abiotic or biotic stress sensors and plant responses. It is well known that electrostimulation of plants can induce gene expression, enzymatic systems activation, electrical signaling, plant movements, and influence plant growth. Here we present the mathematical model of electrotonic potentials in plants, which is supported by the experimental data. The information gained from this mathematical model and analytical study can be used not only to elucidate the effects of electrostimulation on higher plants, but also to observe and predict the intercellular and intracellular communication in the form of electrical signals within electrical networks of plants. For electrostimulation, we used the pulse train, sinusoidal and a triangular saw-shape voltage profiles. The amplitude and sign of electrotonic potentials depend on the amplitude, rise and fall of the applied voltage. Electrostimulation by a sinusoidal wave from a function generator induces electrical response between inserted Ag/AgCl electrodes with a phase shift of 90o. This phenomenon shows that electrical networks in leaves of Aloe vera have electrical differentiators. Electrostimulation is an important tool for the evaluation of mechanisms of phytoactuators’ responses in plants without stimulation of abiotic or biotic stress phytosensors.


    加载中
    [1] Herde O, Peña-Cortés H, Fisahn J (1995) Proteinase inhibitor II gene expression induced by electrical stimulation and control of photosynthetic activity in tomato plants. Plant Cell Physiol 36: 737–742.
    [2] Wildon DC, Thain JF, Minchin PEH, et al. (1992) Electric signaling and systemic proteinase inhibitor induction in the wounded plant. Nature 360: 62–65.
    [3] Stankovic B, Davies E (1997) Intercellular communication in plants: electrical stimulation of proteinase inhibitor gene expression in tomato. Planta 202: 402–406. doi: 10.1007/s004250050143
    [4] Inaba A, Manabe T, Tsuji H, et al. (1995) Electrical impedance analysis of tissue properties associated with ethylene induction by electric currents in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit. J Plant Physiol 107: 199–205.
    [5] Favre P, Agosti RD (2007) Voltage-dependent action potentials in Arabidopsis thaliana. Physiol Plantarum 131: 263–272.
    [6] Volkov AG (Ed.) (2012) Plant Electrophysiology. Methods and Cell Electrophysiology. Berlin: Springer.
    [7] Volkov AG (Ed.) (2012) Plant Electrophysiology. Signaling and Responses. Berlin: Springer.
    [8] Balmer RT, Franks JG (1975) Contractile characteristics of Mimosa pudica L. J Plant Physiol 56: 464–467. doi: 10.1104/pp.56.4.464
    [9] Jonas H (1970) Oscillations and movements of Mimosa leaves due to electric shock. J Interdiscipl Cycle 1: 335–348. doi: 10.1080/09291017009359229
    [10] Volkov AG (2016) Biosensors, memristors and actuators in electrical networks of plants. Intern J Parallel Emerg Distrib Systems 1–12.
    [11] Volkov AG, Adesina T, Jovanov E (2008) Charge induced closing of Dionaea muscipula Ellis trap. Bioelectrochem 74: 16–21. doi: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2008.02.004
    [12] Volkov AG, Adesina T, Markin VS, et al. (2008) Kinetics and mechanism of Dionaea muscipula trap closing. Plant Physiol 146: 694–702.
    [13] Volkov AG, Coopwood KJ, Markin VS (2008) Inhibition of the Dionaea muscipula Ellis trap closure by ion and water channels blockers and uncouplers. Plant Sci 175: 642–649. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2008.06.016
    [14] Volkov AG, Carrell H, Baldwin A, et al. (2009) Electrical memory in Venus flytrap. Bioelectrochem 75: 142–147. doi: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2009.03.005
    [15] Volkov AG, Carrell H, Markin VS (2009) Biologically closed electrical circuits in Venus flytrap. Plant Physiol 149: 1661–1667. doi: 10.1104/pp.108.134536
    [16] Volkov AG, Foster JC, Ashby TA, et al. (2010) Mimosa pudica: electrical and mechanical stimulation of plant movements. Plant Cell Environ 33: 163–173. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2009.02066.x
    [17] Black J, Forsyth F, Fensom D, et al. (1971) Electrical stimulation and its effects on growth and ion accumulation in tomato plants. Can J Bot 49: 1809–1815. doi: 10.1139/b71-255
    [18] Gensler W (1974) Bioelectric potential and their relation to growth in higher plants. Ann NY Acad Sci 238: 281–299.
    [19] Murr L.E (1963) Plant growth response in a simulated electric field environment. Nature 200: 490–491.
    [20] Takamura T (2006) Electrochemical potential around the plant root in relation to metabolism and growth acceleration, in: Volkov AG (ed), Plant Electrophysiology – Theory & Methods. Berlin: Springer, 341–374.
    [21] Markin VS, Volkov AG, Chua L (2014) An analytical model of memristors in plants. Plant Signal Behav 9: e972887-1-9. doi: 10.4161/15592316.2014.972887
    [22] Volkov AG, Forde-Tuckett V, Reedus J, et al. (2014) Memristor in the Venus flytrap. Plant Signal Behav 9: e29204-1-12. doi: 10.4161/psb.29204
    [23] Volkov AG, Reedus J, Mitchell CM, et al. (2014) Memristor in the electrical network of Aloe vera L. Plant Signal Behav 9: e29056-1-7. doi: 10.4161/psb.29056
    [24] Volkov AG, Reedus J, Mitchell CM, et al. (2014) Memory elements in the electrical network of Mimosa pudica L. Plant Signal Behav 9: e982029-1-9. doi: 10.4161/15592324.2014.982029
    [25] Volkov AG, Tuckett C, Reedus J, et al. (2014) Memristors in plants. Plant Signal Behav 9: e28152-1-8. doi: 10.4161/psb.28152
    [26] Volkov AG, Nyasani EK, Blackmon AL, et al. (2015) Memristors: Memory elements in potato tubers. Plant Signal Behav 10: e1071750-1-7. doi: 10.1080/15592324.2015.1071750
    [27] Volkov AG, Nyasani EK, Tuckett C, et al. (2016). Electrophysiology of Pumpkin Seeds: Memristors in Vivo. Plant Signal Behav 11: e1151600; DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2016.1151600.
    [28] Frachisse-Stoilskovic JM, Julien JL (1993) The coupling between extra-and intracellular electric potentials in Bidens pilosa L. Plant Cell Environm 16: 633–641. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.1993.tb00481.x
    [29] Overall RL, Gunning BES (1982) Intercellular communication in Azolla roots: II. Electrical coupling. Protoplasma 111: 151–160.
    [30] Sibaoka T, Tabata T (1981) Electrotonic coupling between adjacent internodal cells of Chara: transmission of action potentials beyond the node. Plant Cell Physiol 22: 397–411.
    [31] Spanswick RM (1972) Electrical coupling between cells of higher plants: A direct demonstration of intercellular communication. Planta 102: 215–227. doi: 10.1007/BF00386892
    [32] Volkov AG, O’Neal L, Volkova-Gugeshashvili MI, et al. (2013) Electrostimulation of Aloe Vera L., Mimosa Pudica L. and Arabidopsis Thaliana: Propagation and collision of electronic potentials. J Electrochem Soc 160: G3102–G3111.
    [33] Volkov AG, Vilfranc CL, Murphy VA, et al. Electrotonic and action potentials in the Venus flytrap. J Plant Physiol 170: 838–846.
    [34] Jack JJ, Noble D, Tsien RW (1975) Electric current flow in excitable cells. Clarendon, Oxford.
    [35] Adamatzky A (2014) Towards plant wires. Biosystems 122: 1–6.
    [36] Stavrinidou E, Gabrielsson R, Gomez E, et al. (2015) Electronic plants. Sci Adv 1: e1501136-1-8. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1501136
    [37] Hodgkin AL, Rushton WAH (1946) The electrical constants of a crustacean nerve fibre. Proc Royal Soc B 133: 444–479. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1946.0024
    [38] Rall W (1969) Time constants and electrotonic length of membrane cylinders and neurons. Biophys J 58: 631–639.
  • Reader Comments
  • © 2016 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com
  • 1. 

    沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院 沈阳 110142

  1. 本站搜索
  2. 百度学术搜索
  3. 万方数据库搜索
  4. CNKI搜索

Metrics

Article views(6107) PDF downloads(1422) Cited by(12)

Article outline

Figures and Tables

Figures(13)

Other Articles By Authors

/

DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
Return
Return

Catalog