5th hour

By the end of the lesson, students should be

able to:

- describe the structures and functions of

guard cells in relation to gaseous exchange

- explain the regulation of the stomatal opening and

closing in the plants through turgidity of guard
cells
- starch-sugar hypothesis
- potassium ion hypothesis of the guard cell
 Structures of guard cells

 Stomata are pores bordered by two guard

cells, which are specialised epidermal cells
 Guard cells
– sausage-shaped with a very large sap vacuole.
– contain chloroplasts, photosynthesis occurs and
sugar are formed
– unevenly thickened with cellulose
– inner side (ventral) wall thicker than the dorsal
wall of the guard cell
– as result the dorsal is more elastic compared to
the ventral walls
 Functions of stoma

 Regulates the loss of water through

transpiration in plants
– important ways for plants to cool off
– regulating temperature of plants

 Enables exchange of gas between leaves

and atmosphere

 Contain chloroplast and able to

photosynthesis
Regulation of stomatal opening and closing

 Stomata opens
– Guard cells increase turgidity
– dorsal wall to stretch and the length much more
compared to the ventral walls
– ventral wall bend forming a semicircle when they
become turgid
– resulting in opening of stoma
Regulation of stomatal opening and closing

• Stomata closes
– Guard cells decrease turgidity
– dorsal wall become shorten and the length less
than the ventral walls
– resulting in closing of stoma.
 (i) Starch-sugar hypothesis

 involves the enzymatic conversion

of starch to sugar at a high pH
 conversion of sugar to starch at a
low pH

high pH
– Starch glucose
low pH phosphate
 (i) Starch-sugar hypothesis
• During the day, photosynthesis
occurs
– sugar is produced at guard cells
– concentration of carbon dioxide
lowers, thus pH rises (high pH)
– favours conversion of starch to
sugar
– sugar is soluble in water
– water potential of the guard cell
decreases
– water flow into guard cells by
osmosis
– guard cell turgid, stoma opens
 (i) Starch-sugar hypothesis
• During the night, no
photosynthesis
– carbon dioxide
accumulates in the
intercellular spaces of the
leaf
– drop in pH
– favours conversion of
sugar to starch
– water potential of guard
cell rises,
– water flow out from guard
cell by osmosis
– Guard cells becomes
flaccid, stoma to close
Starch-sugar hypothesis
 (ii) Potassium ion hypothesis
 Light, especially blue light
is absorbed by
photoreceptors
– Which activates the
proton-pump in the cell
membrane of the guard
cell
– The ATP generated
during photosynthesis
provide energy to drive
the pump
 (ii) Potassium ion hypothesis

• Potassium channels is activated

– triggers the movement of potassium ions
(K+) into the guard cells
– increase K+ lowers water potential in guard
cells compared to neighbouring subsidiary
cells.
– water enters the guard cells from the
surrounding epidermal cells by osmosis
– stoma opens
 (ii) Potassium ion hypothesis
• Late afternoon or early evening, less ATP is
generated
– No active uptake of K+
– K+ is pumped out of the guard cells into the
surrounding epidermal cells
– higher water potential in guard cells
compared to neighbouring subsidiary cells
– water leaves the guard cells by osmosis,
guard cells lose their turgidity,
– stoma close
Potassium ion hypothesis
Potassium ion hypothesis
 References:
 Campbell, Biology, 7th edition
 Raven, Biology, 7th edition
 Clegg, Advanced Biology Principles &
Applications, 2nd edition
 Susan Toole, Understanding Biology for
Advanced Level, 4th edition
Thank you for your attention

Next chapter
Transport System