title: Effect of low oxygen concentration on the electrical properties of cortical cells of wheat roots.
abstract: Short-term effect of oxygen-deficiency on the membrane potential difference (PD), membrane resistance of cortical cells and electrical coupling between cortical cells was investigated using excised wheat roots. Hypoxia rapidly depolarised the membrane potential of the cortical cells by about 60 mV, while hypoxia had little effect on the membrane resistance of the cells. No significant change in membrane resistance by potassium channel blockers, TEA+ and verapamil, under hypoxia was observed. The electrical coupling ratio, which is a measure of plasmodesmatal resistance, between cortical cells of wheat roots was 5.9 % in aerated solution and was not affected by the low oxygen treatment, suggesting that solute transport through cytoplasmic annulus of plasmodesmata could not be affected. The possible involvement of the endoplasmic reticulum in intercellular transport of solute and water is discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Tyerman
mesh_terms: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000502:physiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008839:Microelectrodes; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D019347:Potassium Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D019789:Tetraethylammonium / Q000494:pharmacology; D014908:Triticum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D014700:Verapamil; D019347:Potassium Acetate; D010100:Oxygen