Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Large electrical currents traverse growing pollen tubes.

M H Weisenseel, R Nuccitelli, L F Jaffe

    The Journal of Cell Biology
    |September 1, 1975
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    High Calcium Zones at the Poles of Developing Medaka Eggs.

    The Biological bulletin·2018
    Same author

    Calcium Buffer Injections Block Cytokinesis in Xenopus Eggs.

    The Biological bulletin·2018
    Same author

    Towards the Development of a Technique for Introducing Aequorin into Amoebae of Dictyostelium discoideum Via Electroporation.

    The Biological bulletin·2018
    Same author

    A Region of Steady High Calcium at the Vegetal Pole of Medaka Eggs.

    The Biological bulletin·2018
    Same author

    KCl-Induced Calcium Rise in Squid Eggs: Measurement of Fura-2 Fluorescence.

    The Biological bulletin·2018
    Same author

    Differences in Free Calcium Concentration Between Oocytes and Nurse Cells Revealed by Corrected Aequorin Luminescence.

    The Biological bulletin·2018
    Same journal

    A pan-vertebrate signaling motif controls the molecular function of intracellular AQP12.

    The Journal of cell biology·2026
    Same journal

    Synergistic assembly, disassembly, and protection of complex forms of bundled F-actin.

    The Journal of cell biology·2026
    Same journal

    Recruitment and release of XPG during NER is controlled by pre- and post-incision factors and EXO1.

    The Journal of cell biology·2026
    Same journal

    Meiotic CENP-C supports centromere assembly and kinetochore recruitment in spermatogenesis.

    The Journal of cell biology·2026
    Same journal

    Phosphatidylserine and RhoB connect PI4P and PA metabolism to maintain plasma membrane identity.

    The Journal of cell biology·2026
    Same journal

    PIKfyve influences inter-organelle contacts with lysosomes to modulate the endoplasmic reticulum.

    The Journal of cell biology·2026
    See all related articles

    Newly developed vibrating electrodes reveal that lily pollen generates electric currents during germination. This ion flow, crucial for growth, exhibits unique pulsing behavior in longer pollen tubes.

    Area of Science:

    • Plant Biology
    • Electrochemistry
    • Cellular Physiology

    Background:

    • Understanding the biophysical forces driving plant cell growth is essential.
    • Electric fields and ion currents play a role in cellular processes, but their specific function in pollen germination is not fully elucidated.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the electric fields and ion currents associated with lily pollen germination in vitro.
    • To characterize the nature of these currents and their relationship to pollen tube growth and development.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized a novel vibrating electrode technique to measure electric fields around germinating lily pollen.
    • Analyzed steady current components and discrete current pulses during pollen tube elongation.

    Related Experiment Videos

    Main Results:

    • Germinating lily pollen generates a steady ion current (picoamperes) entering the prospective growth site and exiting the opposite end.
    • This current persists even when elongation and cytoplasmic streaming are inhibited (cytochalasin B).
    • Longer pollen tubes (>1 mm) exhibit a characteristic train of discrete current pulses (30s duration, 60-100s recurrence) in addition to the steady current.

    Conclusions:

    • A directed ion current is integral to lily pollen germination and tube growth.
    • The observed current patterns, including pulsing, suggest complex regulatory mechanisms in tip growth.
    • The electrical behavior of growing pollen tubes shares similarities with that of focoid eggs.