Influence of Electric Fields and Conductivity on Pollen Tube Growth assessed via Electrical Lab-on-Chip

Scientific Reports
Carlos AgudeloAnja Geitmann

Abstract

Pollen tubes are polarly growing plant cells that are able to rapidly respond to a combination of chemical, mechanical, and electrical cues. This behavioural feature allows them to invade the flower pistil and deliver the sperm cells in highly targeted manner to receptive ovules in order to accomplish fertilization. How signals are perceived and processed in the pollen tube is still poorly understood. Evidence for electrical guidance in particular is vague and highly contradictory. To generate reproducible experimental conditions for the investigation of the effect of electric fields on pollen tube growth we developed an Electrical Lab-on-Chip (ELoC). Pollen from the species Camellia displayed differential sensitivity to electric fields depending on whether the entire cell or only its growing tip was exposed. The response to DC fields was dramatically higher than that to AC fields of the same strength. However, AC fields were found to restore and even promote pollen growth. Surprisingly, the pollen tube response correlated with the conductivity of the growth medium under different AC frequencies--consistent with the notion that the effect of the field on pollen tube growth may be mediated via its effect on the motion of ions.

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Citations

Nov 29, 2017·Journal of Plant Research·Masahiro M Kanaoka
Jun 20, 2019·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Marie HeldDan V Nicolau
Jan 11, 2020·International Journal of Biological Macromolecules·Somayeh Vandghanooni, Morteza Eskandani
Mar 18, 2021·MBio·Sayumi FukudaNorio Takeshita
Sep 9, 2019·International Journal of Biological Macromolecules·Somayeh Vandghanooni, Morteza Eskandani
May 25, 2021·Plant & Cell Physiology·Naoki YanagisawaTetsuya Higashiyama

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
chip

Software Mentioned

ELoC
Comsol Multiphysics

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