Electrical perception of the 'death message' in Chara: characterization of K+ -induced depolarization.
When the nodal end of an internodal cell of Chara corallina was subjected to a pulse treatment with artificial cell sap, a depolarization lasted in artificial pond water. This depolarization could also be induced by pulse treatment with KCl solution, indicating that K+ in the artificial cell sap is responsible (K+ -induced depolarization). The depolarization was prolonged in the presence of 2 mM KCl and the prolonged depolarization was terminated by supplementing with either CaCl2, MgCl2 or NaCl. These results supported the hypothesis that K+ released from the killed cell is responsible for generation of the wound-induced membrane depolarization.
Shimmen
Teruo
T
Department of Life Science, Graduate School of Life Science, University of Hyogo, Harima Science Park City, Hyogo, 678-1297 Japan. shimmen@sci.u-hyogo.ac.jp
D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D016923:Cell Death; D044784:Chara / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011188:Potassium / Q000502:physiology*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D012964:Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
D011189:Potassium Chloride; D012964:Sodium; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium