The active transport of ions in plant cells

Abstract

In a recent review of the transport of salts and water across multicellular secretory tissues in animals (Keynes, 1969), a summary was given of the various types of active transport of ions necessary to explain the experimental observations in a very wide range of tissues, and five basic types of ion pump were discussed. The question of whether plants and animals have any common mechanisms for the transport of salts and water was specifically excluded. The original aim of the present review was to survey the types of ion pump found in plant cells and tissues, and to compare these with those found in animals. Its aims narrowed very considerably in writing. It now reviews ion transport processes in giant algal cells, and tries to assess progress towards understanding the mechanisms involved. It indicates the existence of similar ion transports in higher plant cells, but it does not present a complete review of the experimental work on higher plants.