Effects of a pulsing electric signal on the cross membrane potential and the cell division potentiality of a single cell of tobacco

Abstract

A pulsing electric signal (pulse width 10 s) was applied to a single cell of cultured tobacco, line BY-2, by inserting a multifunctional microelectrode (MME) into the cell. The electric voltage (V(ET)) was loaded between the electrode terminals of the MME and the reference electrode situated in the extracellular medium. Since the electrical impedance of the MME was as large as that of the cell membrane, the effective potential acting across the cell membrane (V(CMP)) should be only some portion of V(ET). The MME enabled simultaneous measurement of V(ET) and V(CMP). When V(ET) was varied from 0 to -1 V, V(CMP) changed linearly in proportion to V(ET). When V(ET) variation range was enlarged (from 0 to -2 V), V(CMP) changing pattern became a declined curve. When V(ET) variation range was further enlarged (from 0 to -5 V), the V(CMP) changing pattern showed a saturation curve. Under this condition, the cell division potentiality decreased accordingly. Based on these results, the feasibility of V(CMP) as an indicator of the effective intensity of an electric stress signal is discussed. In the present case of a BY-2 cell, a proper intensity of V(CMP) that could cause an appreciable stress and not a lethal signal was estimated as -250 mV. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A.