TISSUE ELECTROPOTENTIALS IN KALANCHOË BLOSSFELDIANA DURING WOUND HEALING

Penetrating palladium probes were placed in the stem and leaf of Kalancho'ë blossfeldiana . The electropotentials arising in the probes at the wound site were continuously monitored during the subsequent healing process. The potential change was always in the positive going direction, beginning at an average of 320 millivolts and stabilizing at an average of 601 millivolts relative to a standard hydrogen electrode. The healing process can be divided into two distinct phases: an initial phase of approximately 6 hr duration in which the potential rises rapidly and a second phase extending to approximately dusk on the third day in which the potential rises at a substantially lower rate. There is also a definite change of the transition potential waveshape at the beginning and end of the 16‐hr light period during the healing process. Rewounding results in a potential recovery waveshape similar to the original healing response but of shorter duration. The data are interpreted in terms of the redox status of the wound site.