PLANTS STOMATHE MECHANISM OF OPENING AND CLOSING

Stoma open when the guard cells become turgid.

Because the natural shape of the guard cell
&
Also when water enters, the internal fluid pressure
is exerted on the outer thin walls.
An internal fluid pressure that is osmotically induced
builds up against cell walls is called turgor
pressure.

This makes guard cell bend outwards that a gap,

the stoma, formed in between them.
Stoma closes when the guard cells become flaccid.
This is because when water leaves the guard cells,
there is no turgor pressure.
Their internal fluid pressure drops, they collapse
against each other and so close the gap.

There are three hypothesis explaining the mechanism

of stomata opening and closing:
a)

Sugar-starch interconversion hypothesis:

When there is a presence of light,

Photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplast of

guard cells,
Resulting in an accumulation of sugar.
Sugar reduces the water potential of the cells
and water diffuses in from neighbouring cells.

Thus, the guard cells become turgid with water

and the stoma opens.
At night, there is no photosynthesis since there is
no sunlight and the sugar is changed to starch for
storage.

The water potential

and the pores

of
of

the
the

guard
stoma

cells reverses
closes.

However, the rate of sugar accumulation is

too slow to account for the fast opening of
the stoma when it is exposed to light.
Therefore, another explanation is offered.

When there is light, photosynthesis takes place and

carbon dioxide is used.

The increased in pH causes the amylase enzyme to

change starch to maltose, lowering the water
potential and the causing the pores of stoma to
open.

At night, the process is reversed as an

accumulation of carbon dioxide through respiration
lowers the pH in the guard cell.
Sugar is changed to starch by amylase and the
water potential becomes higher.
The guard cells becomes flaccid and the pores of
the stoma closes.

b.

Hypothesis based on accumulation of potassium

( K+) ion

When there is light, especially blue light, it stimulates proton

pumps in the membranes of guard cells.
This causes an accumulation of H+ in the cells.
This is in turn causes the opening of the K+ channel and a fast
active uptake of K+ ion occurs.
The increase in K+ ion concentration lowers the water potential
in the cells causing the water to diffuse in by osmosis.
The turgor pressure is also increased and the stoma opens.

The accumulation of positive charges in the guard cells is

balanced by the presence of Cl- ion or the formation of organic
acids such as Malate, depending on the species of plant.
At night, the opposite takes place,
When there is no light, K+ ions diffuse out increasing the
water potential.
The guard cells become flaccid and close the pores of the
stoma.

c. Abscisic acid
Abscisic acid, which is a plant hormone,
Plays an important role in the closing of stomata in
response to drought.
It is produced in the chloroplasts of the leaf
mesophyll cells in response to drought.
It binds to specific receptors of the plasma
membrane of the guard cells result in the opening
of the K+ channels that allow the ions to flow out
and guard cells become flaccid.

Gaseous Exchange

Animals

Breathing
cycle

1. Mechanism of
breathing control.
2. Lung volumes.

Plants

Mammals
Structure involved
Process
Hemoglobin
Transport of O2 and CO2
Bohrs effect
O2 dissociation curves.

Stomata

Structure
&
function

Mechanism
Of opening
& closing