Guard cells undergo constitutive and pressure-driven membrane turnover

During stomatal movement, guard cells undergo large and reversible changes in cell volume and consequently surface area. These alterations in surface area require addition and removal of plasma membrane material. How this is achieved is largely unknown. Here we summarize recent studies of membrane turnover in guard cells using electrophysiology and fluorescent imaging techniques. The results implicate that membrane turnover in guard cells and most likely in plant cells in general is sensitive to changes in membrane tension. We suggest that this provides a mechanism for the adaptation of surface area of guard cells to osmotically driven changes in cell volume. In addition, guard cells also exhibit constitutive membrane turnover. Constitutive and pressure-driven membrane turnover were found to be associated with addition and removal of K+ channels. This implies that some of the exo- and endocytic vesicles carry K+ channels. Together the results demonstrate that exo- and endocytosis is an essential process in guard cell functioning.