The Electrical Potential Difference Across the Tonoplast of Root Cells

Abstract

Changes in electrical potential, measured as a microelectrode was advanced into epidermal cells and from cell to cell in roots of Lolium multiflorum and Zea mays, are described. The recordings suggest that the electrical potential difference between the cytoplasm and vacuole, E_vc is of the order of a few millivolts, the vacuole tending to be the more positive. E_vc appeared to be approximately the same for epidermal, cortical, endodermal, and pericycle cells.