The effect of some growth-regulating compounds upon electroosmotic measurements, transcellular water flow, and Na, K, and Cl influx in Nitella flexilis

Abstract

By using a small, constant, applied current on a cell of Nitella in artificial pond water, it was possible to compare the effect of different growth-regulating compounds on the apparent electroosmotic water coupling in the cell wall – membrane complex. Indoleacetic acid (IAA) at first enhanced the electro-osmotic effect and then ceased to alter it, but began to change the asymmetric transcellular water flow. Gibberellic acid (GA), when added to IAA, increased this effect, while abscissic acid (ABA) added to IAA decreased it. Some compounds like naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), alar-83, skatol, or ABA alone, had no effect on the electroosmotic (eo.) coefficient; but NAA, skatol, ABA (alone) changed the asymmetric water flow (basic flow) and some ion influxes. Light-degraded IAA acted in a manner very similar to skatol, which suggests that IAA is quickly converted to skatol in the cell in the presence of light. With light–dark transitions or with IAA, the electroosmotic coefficient changed in a manner parallel to passive ion (Na+ and K+) influx, but was not related to basic flow or Cl− influx changes.Under controlled conditions of low constant current applied to a test cell, it has been shown that a change in apparent eo. coefficient upon auxin addition is largely a reflection of change in the true electroosmotic properties of the cell membrane at the positive end of the cell.