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Quantitative characterization of cuticular barrier properties: methods, requirements, and problems.
Viktoria Valeska Zeisler-Diehl1, Britta Migdal1, Lukas Schreiber1
1Institute of Cellular and Molecular Botany (IZMB), University of Bonn, Kirschallee 1, D-53115 Bonn, Germany.
Journal of Experimental Botany
|October 10, 2017
Summary
This review explains how to quantify plant cuticle barrier properties. Permeance measurements allow direct comparison of water loss and solute uptake across different plant tissues and synthetic membranes.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
Background:
- The plant cuticle is a lipophilic barrier crucial for reducing water loss and regulating solute uptake.
- Understanding cuticle barrier properties is vital for plant physiology and agricultural applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present and discuss experimental and theoretical approaches for quantifying cuticle barrier properties.
- To provide a manual for scientists on quantifying transport barriers in plants.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of diffusion kinetics (amount diffused versus time).
- Accurate determination of driving forces (concentration gradients).
- Calculation of permeances (diffusion velocity) for standardized comparisons.
Main Results:
- Permeance is proposed as a key metric, independent of experimental boundary conditions.
- This allows direct comparison of barrier properties across diverse plant organs, species, and synthetic membranes.
- The review outlines essential considerations for accurate quantification.
Conclusions:
- Standardized quantification using permeance facilitates comparative analysis of transport barriers.
- This approach aids research in cuticle biosynthesis, regulation, and related fields.
- The review serves as a guide for researchers in plant science and materials science.