Memristors: Memory elements in potato tubers

Abstract

A memristor is a nonlinear element because its current-voltage characteristic is similar to that of a Lissajous pattern for nonlinear systems. This element was postulated recently and researchers are looking for it in different biosystems. We investigated electrical circuitry of red Irish potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.). The goal was to discover if potato tubers might have a new electrical component -a resistor with memory. The analysis was based on a cyclic currentvoltage characteristic where the resistor with memory should manifest itself. We found that the electrostimulation by bipolar sinusoidal or triangle periodic waves induces electrical responses in the potato tubers with fingerprints of memristors. Tetraethylammonium chloride, an inhibitor of voltage gated K C channels, transforms a memristor to a resistor in potato tubers. Our results demonstrate that a voltage gated K C channel in the excitable tissue of potato tubers has properties of a memristor. Uncoupler carbonylcyanide-4-trifluoromethoxy-phenyl hydrazone decreases the amplitude of electrical responses at low and high frequencies of bipolar periodic sinusoidal or triangle electrostimulating waves. The discovery of memristors in plants creates a new direction in the understanding of electrical phenomena in plants.

Bioderived materials for stimuli-responsive, adaptive, and neuromorphic systems: A perspective

“…Memory and signaling in plants have been well documented, 125,126 though the mechanisms behind them are still being investigated. Volkov et al performed a series of electrical experiments on several plant species: venus flytrap, 127 Mimosa pudica , 123 aloe vera, 128 potato tubers, 129 pumpkin seeds, 130 apples, 131 and impatiens flowers 132 in search of evidence of resitive memory. These plants were selected because some are model organisms for the study of plant electrophysiology and autonomous motion (venus flytrap, M. pudica ), while the others were included to cover a range of different plant and tissue types.…”

Electrophysiology of pumpkin seeds: Memristors in vivo

“…Similar properties were found earlier in the Venus flytrap, Mimosa pudica and Aloe vera. [11][12][13][14][15][16] It was explained by an obvious fact that the biological membranes with ion channels had capacitance connected in parallel to transmembrane organized ion channels. Such type of memristing devices with a capacitance is called a generic memristor.…”

“…9 Johnsen et al found that the sweat ducts in the skin are memristors. 10 We have found memristors in the electrical circuitry of the Venus flytrap, 11,12 potato tubers, 13 apple fruits, Aloe vera 14 and Mimosa pudica. 15 Pharmaceutical analysis showed that the tetraethylammonium chloride (TEACl) blocker of K C channels inhibits memristance of plants.…”

“…15 Pharmaceutical analysis showed that the tetraethylammonium chloride (TEACl) blocker of K C channels inhibits memristance of plants. [11][12][13][14][15][16] Uncouplers carbonylcyanide-4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl hydrazone (FCCP) and carbonylcyanide-3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) decreased the amplitude of hysteresis in I-V plane. 14 Markin et al proposed analytical models of a generic memristor and a memristor connected in parallel to a capacitor for analysis of plant memristors, which describe experimental data in plants.…”