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 Concept Videos

Ion Channels01:19

Ion Channels

The movement of ions like sodium, potassium, and calcium into and out of the cell is essential to maintain the electrochemical gradient in living cells. The ion channels—a class of membrane transport proteins—help maintain this ionic gradient for the smooth functioning of physiological activities such as maintaining cell size and volume, conducting nerve impulses, and gas and nutrient exchange.
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow specific...
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
Cell Signaling in Plants01:25

Cell Signaling in Plants

Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
Gap Junctions01:27

Gap Junctions

The cytoplasm of adjacent animal cells can exchange small molecules, ions, and secondary messengers via the communication channels which form the gap junctions. These junctions comprise a few hundred to thousands of molecular channels, each made of two halves, called the connexon hemichannel. A connexon is a hexamer of six transmembrane connexin proteins, which assemble radially, thus forming a pore or channel in the center. One connexon hemichannel docks with a corresponding connexon on the...
Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

Multicellular organisms employ a variety of ways for cells to communicate with each other. Gap junctions are specialized proteins that form pores between neighboring cells in animals, connecting the cytoplasm between the two, and allowing for the exchange of molecules and ions. They are found in a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate species, mediate numerous functions including cell differentiation and development, and are associated with numerous human diseases, including cardiac and...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Under salt stress, quinoa stomatal guard cells control transpiration in an ABA-primed manner.

The New phytologist·2025
Same author

The power of ionic movements in plants.

The New phytologist·2025
Same author

SISE, free LabView-based software for ion flux measurements.

Plant methods·2025
Same author

Structural and mechanistic insights into symmetry conversion in plant GORK K+ channel regulation.

Protein & cell·2025
Same author

The dynamics of stomatal closure of Arabidopsis thaliana determined by terahertz spectroscopy and a water transport model.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Mechanosensitive channel engineering: A study on the mixing and matching of YnaI and MscS sensor paddles and pores.

Nature communications·2025
Same journal

Long-term potentiation in the brain: A synaptic memory mechanism.

Physiological reviews·2026
Same journal

Catecholamine metabolism revisited: From neurochemistry to integrative physiology and pathophysiology.

Physiological reviews·2026
Same journal

THE ORIGINS AND PROGRESSION OF PYLORIC METAPLASIA FOLLOWING GASTRIC MUCOSAL INJURY.

Physiological reviews·2026
Same journal

AKAP signaling: physiological and pathophysiological roles and opportunities for novel therapeutic concepts.

Physiological reviews·2026
Same journal

Mechanisms of transcranial magnetic brain stimulation.

Physiological reviews·2026
Same journal

Esophageal peristalsis in health and disease: mechanistic insights.

Physiological reviews·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Wide-Field, Real-Time Imaging of Local and Systemic Wound Signals in Arabidopsis
06:50

Wide-Field, Real-Time Imaging of Local and Systemic Wound Signals in Arabidopsis

Published on: June 4, 2021

Ion channels in plants.

Rainer Hedrich1

  • 1University of Wuerzburg, Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Wuerzburg, Germany. hedrich@botanik.uni.wuerzburg.de

Physiological Reviews
|October 18, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Plant ion channel research has evolved significantly, revealing diverse potassium and anion channels in guard cells and other plant cells. These channels are crucial for regulating cell volume and turgor, with ongoing studies focusing on their molecular mechanisms and evolutionary context.

More Related Videos

Real-time In Vivo Recording of Arabidopsis Calcium Signals During Insect Feeding Using a Fluorescent Biosensor
08:21

Real-time In Vivo Recording of Arabidopsis Calcium Signals During Insect Feeding Using a Fluorescent Biosensor

Published on: August 15, 2017

Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings for Electrophysiological Determination of Ion Selectivity in Channelrhodopsins
08:39

Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings for Electrophysiological Determination of Ion Selectivity in Channelrhodopsins

Published on: May 22, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 17, 2026

Wide-Field, Real-Time Imaging of Local and Systemic Wound Signals in Arabidopsis
06:50

Wide-Field, Real-Time Imaging of Local and Systemic Wound Signals in Arabidopsis

Published on: June 4, 2021

Real-time In Vivo Recording of Arabidopsis Calcium Signals During Insect Feeding Using a Fluorescent Biosensor
08:21

Real-time In Vivo Recording of Arabidopsis Calcium Signals During Insect Feeding Using a Fluorescent Biosensor

Published on: August 15, 2017

Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings for Electrophysiological Determination of Ion Selectivity in Channelrhodopsins
08:39

Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings for Electrophysiological Determination of Ion Selectivity in Channelrhodopsins

Published on: May 22, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Plant Biology
  • Molecular Physiology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Patch-clamp studies have identified diverse ion channels in plant cells, with guard cells serving as a key model system.
  • Early research documented potassium channels, including the Shaker-type KAT1, in guard cells, crucial for K(+) inward rectification.
  • Recent discoveries include SLAC/SLAH and ALMT/QUAC anion channel families involved in plant cell volume and turgor regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on plant ion channel biology, focusing on guard cells.
  • To highlight the molecular mechanisms and regulation of plant ion channels.
  • To explore the evolutionary context of plant ion channel diversity.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of patch-clamp studies and genomic data.
  • Analysis of ion channel gene expression and localization in plants.
  • Investigation of channel function in relation to physiological processes like turgor regulation.

Main Results:

  • Guard cells express various potassium channels (Shaker-type, two-pore) and anion channels (SLAC/SLAH, ALMT/QUAC).
  • Shaker-type channels in Arabidopsis thaliana exhibit diverse functions, including inward rectification and modulation.
  • Anion channels mediate slow and rapid currents essential for turgor and volume control in plant cells.

Conclusions:

  • Plant ion channels, particularly in guard cells, are vital components of signaling networks regulating physiological processes.
  • Understanding the molecular regulation and evolution of these channels is critical for plant science.
  • Anion channels represent key targets for further research into plant cell homeostasis and environmental responses.