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Updated: May 15, 2026

Measuring the Osmotic Water Permeability Coefficient (Pf) of Spherical Cells: Isolated Plant Protoplasts as an Example
Published on: October 8, 2014
Insights into plant plasma membrane aquaporin trafficking
Charles Hachez1, Arnaud Besserer, Adrien S Chevalier
1Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 4-L7.07.14, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Abstract:
Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) are plant aquaporins that facilitate the diffusion of water and small uncharged solutes through the cell membrane. Deciphering the network of interacting proteins that modulate PIP trafficking to and activity in the plasma membrane is essential to improve our knowledge about PIP regulation and function. This review highlights the most recent advances related to PIP subcellular routing and dynamic redistribution, identifies some key molecular interacting proteins, and indicates exciting directions for future research in this field. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which plants optimize water movement might help in identifying new molecular players of agronomical relevance involved in the control of cellular water uptake and drought tolerance.
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