Effect of Turgor Pressure and Cell Size on the Wall Elasticity of Plant Cells

Direct measurements of the volumetric elastic modulus, in, of cells of a higher plant were performed on the epidermal bladder cells of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum using a pressure probe technique. Measurements on giant algal cells (Valonia, Nitellopsis) are given for comparison. Giant celled algae and M. crystallinum bladders have elastic moduli, in, which depend strongly on turgor pressure, P, and on cell volume, V. The in values of Mesembryanthemum bladders range between 5 bar at zero pressure and 100 bar at full turgor pressure (3-4 bar). in increased with cell size (volume) at a given turgor pressure, and this volume dependence was pronounced more in the high pressure range. From the in (P) characteristics, complete volume-pressure curves were obtained for Mesembryanthemum bladders and giant algal cells. The results suggest that the in (P) and in (V) characteristics of all plant cells are similar. The significance of the pressure and volume effects for the water relations and growth processes of plant cells is discussed briefly.