Inhibition of regeneration of Acetabularia mediterranea enucleated posterior stalk segments by electrical isolation

Development of Cell Polarity

“…Also, in hydrated pollen of lily, the local region of largest inward current predicts the germination site and precedes germination by a fe w hours (108,109). A similar phenomena can be demonstrated at the site of cap regeneration in Acetabularia (58,59). In the Pe lvetia and lily systems an ultrasensitive vibrating probe (cf 37) was utilized to detect currents entering and leaving various surface regions.…”

“…It was shown earlier that the Fu cus zygote (37) as well as Acetabularia (58,59) drive an electrical current through their t:ytoplasms. The demonstrated gradient of electrical potential in these systems may serve to orient (64) have shown in amebas that an endogenous membrane-driven current is associated with the polarity of microfilament-dependent ameboid streaming.…”

Slicing across Kingdoms: Regeneration in Plants and Animals

“…Acetabularia also provided an early demonstration of the role of electrical currents in establishing polarity in regeneration. Enucleated stalks of Acetabularia mediterranea grown in the dark can regenerate their whorls at either end when placed in the light (Novak and Sironval, 1975). However, the same stalks failed to regenerate when placed in an apparatus that neutralized internal electrical currents, whereas cells placed in the same apparatus that permitted an electrical potential at opposite ends did regenerate (Novak and Sironval, 1975).…”

Bioelectric mechanisms in regeneration: Unique aspects and future perspectives

“…The studies that correlated changes in voltage and currents were followed by functional experiments. Interfering with the required regeneration gradients via electrical isolation, shunting, ion channel blockers, or exogenous reversal of the gradient inhibited regeneration in several systems [6, 36, 168, 169], demonstrating that these biophysical events were necessary factors regulating regeneration.…”

“…Despite much fascinating data on the role of endogenous bioelectric signals controlling limb and spinal cord regeneration [1–3], cell and embryonic polarity [4–6], growth control [7, 8], and migration guidance of numerous cell types [9], the field as a whole is unknown to several generations of modern cell and developmental biologists. However, some well-known processes, such as the fast, electrical polyspermy block [10, 11], are in fact good examples of such signaling.…”