Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 3, 2026
10:12
Measuring Spatial and Temporal Ca2+ Signals in Arabidopsis Plants
Published on: September 2, 2014
12.6K
Cellular Ca2+ Signals Generate Defined pH Signatures in Plants
Smrutisanjita Behera1,2, Xu Zhaolong1,3, Laura Luoni1
1Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy.
The Plant Cell
|November 1, 2018
Summary
Calcium (Ca2+) signals are not isolated. In plants, Ca2+ transients are coupled with cytosolic pH changes, suggesting a dual signaling mechanism for enhanced cellular specificity.
Area of Science:
- Plant cell biology
- Biochemistry
- Molecular signaling
Background:
- Calcium ions (Ca2+) are crucial for cell signaling.
- Previous research focused on Ca2+ alone, neglecting its integration with other cellular responses.
- Understanding how Ca2+ mediates specific cellular outcomes requires investigating its interplay with other signaling molecules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between Ca2+ transients and pH changes in plant cells.
- To determine if Ca2+ signaling is integrated with pH dynamics in Arabidopsis.
- To explore the potential for a combined Ca2+-pH signaling mechanism.
Main Methods:
- In vivo imaging using genetically encoded fluorescent sensors in Arabidopsis thaliana.
- Monitoring of Ca2+ transients and cytosolic pH simultaneously.
- Stimulation with external ATP in seedling root tips.
Main Results:
- Ca2+ transients were consistently accompanied by changes in cytosolic pH.
- Cytosolic acidification up to 0.25 pH units was observed in response to ATP.
- This pH-Ca2+ link was validated for different stimuli and appears to be a general feature.
Conclusions:
- Ca2+ transients are not isolated events but are fundamentally linked to pH dynamics in plant cells.
- The association between Ca2+ and pH provides an additional layer of cellular signal transduction.
- This Ca2+-pH concert enhances signal specificity and cellular response tailoring.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
6.2K
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...
6.2K
01:56Plant Hormones
27.6K
Plant hormones—or phytohormones—are chemical molecules that modulate one or more physiological processes of a plant. In animals, hormones are often produced in specific glands and circulated via the circulatory system. However, plants lack hormone-producing glands.
27.6K
02:57Plant Tissue Culture
40.7K
Plant tissue culture is widely used in both primary and applied science. Applications range from plant development studies to functional gene studies, crop improvement, commercial micropropagation, virus elimination, and conservation of rare species.
40.7K
03:24Seedless Vascular Plants
66.9K
Seedless Vascular Plants Were the First Tall Plants on Earth
66.9K
02:36Meristems and Plant Growth
49.5K
Plants grow throughout their lives; this is called indeterminate growth, and it distinguishes plants from most animals. Although certain parts of plants stop growing (e.g., leaves and flowers), others grow continuously—like roots and stems.
49.5K
02:03What is Cell Signaling?
130.4K
Despite the protective membrane that separates a cell from the environment, cells need the ability to detect and respond to environmental changes. Additionally, cells often need to communicate with one another. Unicellular and multicellular organisms use a variety of cell signaling mechanisms to communicate to respond to the environment.
130.4K