Vibrating probe measurement of extracellular ionic currents

Panote Thavarungkul, Assoc. Prof., D. of Physics, F. of Sci., PSU.
Corresponding e-mail : tpanote@ratree.psu.ac.th

Grant : BIOTEC, PSU.
Published : Thai J of Biotechnology 2000, 2(1) : 34-38
Key words : vibrating probe, ionic currents, extracellular, growth, development

Through the use of the non-invasive vibrating probe technique for measuring extracellular ionic currents, small, steady endogenous ionic currents have been detected in a wide variety of both plant and animal systems. This report will introduce the fundamentals of the vibrating probe and provide examples of the results of current measurements in living systems. The application of this unique tool at the "Biophysics Research Unit : Biosensors and Biocurrents", Prince of Songkla University, Thailand, for the investigation of extracellular ionic currents in plants will be briefly described. Evidence suggests that these currents are associated with growth and development.

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