Biophysical Journal 57: 269-279 (1990)
© 1990 the Biophysical Society

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Oscillations of electrical potential along a root of a higher plant

Department of Electronics, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University 36, Fukuoka 812, Japan

ABSTRACT

Higher plants exhibit an oscillation of electrical potential near the surface along the root. The oscillation was studied with the aid of both the usual intracellular microelectrode technique and the extracellular multielectrode technique, the latter making it possible to measure simultaneously electrical potentials along the root. It was found that the oscillation of extracellular surface potential showed the largest amplitude in the elongation region, and the phase of the oscillation in this region differed by 180 degrees from that in the mature region, where the oscillation appeared coherent. The measurement of the intracellular electrical potential suggested the existence of oscillatory components localized to the parenchyma/xylem interface in the elongation region. A theoretical analysis based on an electrical circuit network described the above-mentioned behavior. It was shown that the oscillation was propagated along the root over several centimeters without substantial decay in the mature region.