The mechanism by which the trap snaps shut involves a complex interaction between elasticity, turgor and growth. The Venus flytrap is one of a very small group of plants capable of rapid movement, such as Mimosa pudica, the Telegraph plant, sundews and bladderworts. It catches its prey - chiefly insects and arachnids - with a trapping structure formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant’s leaves, which is triggered by tiny hairs (called “trigger hairs” or “sensitive hairs”) on their inner surfaces. The Venus flytrap ( Dionaea muscipula) is a carnivorous plant native to subtropical wetlands on the East Coast of the United States in North Carolina and South Carolina. The electrodes were then inserted into plastic tubes and soldered to a wire. The AgCl layer is easily recognized because it is darker. the electrodes in a sodium hypochlorite solution (normal bleach). The AgCl layer was formed by soaking for about 30 min. The active electrodes are made with a thin silver wire (Ag) on which a patina of Silver Chloride (AgCl) has been deposited.
The common reference electrode is a simple syringe needle to which a wire is welded. For this reason we have prepared, with a simple method, special electrodes, shown in the following figure.
The normal electrodes used for the electrocardiogram, however, are not suitable to be used on plants. The Ag/AgCl electrodes integrated with conductive gel containing chloride ions (Cl–) are widely used. To collect the weak electrical signals generated by living organisms, it is necessary to take into account this different mode of conduction in order to maximize the signal and minimize noise. In living organisms, such as cells or tissues, electrical conduction occurs through the movement of ions, while in the used circuits it occurs, as we know, through the movement of conduction electrons. In the field of biosignals, electrodes are fundamental. With our Biosignal Amplifier we tried to measure the action potential in these two plants. The notable exceptions to this mystery are plants that rely on electric signals for rapid movement, like the carnivorous Venus flytrap or Mimosa pudica - a plant whose leaves fold up when brushed to discourage herbivore. In most plants, what those signals are for is still an open question. The controlled flow of ions in and out of a cell constitutes electrical signaling in both plants and animals. Cells manage this electric potential using protein channels and pumps embedded in the cell membrane-gatekeepers that regulate the flow of charged particles across the cell membrane. Whenever different concentrations of ions accumulate on opposite sides of a cell membrane, there exists the potential for an electrical current. One group of migratory molecules is the ion family : charged particles like sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium. Some very tiny molecules can infiltrate the membranes, but most molecules must pass through pores or channels found within the membrane. In fact, all biological cells are electrical.Ĭells use membranes to keep their interiors separate from their exteriors. (from Wikipedia)Īlthough plants don’t have nerves, plants cells are capable of generating electrical impulses called action potentials, just as nerve cells in animals do. Action potentials occur in several types of animal cells, called excitable cells, which include neurons, muscle cells, endocrine cells, glomus cells, and in some plant cells. In physiology, an action potential occurs when the membrane potential of a specific cell location rapidly rises and falls : this depolarization then causes adjacent locations to similarly depolarize.
0 kommentar(er)
