Some Physiological Properties of Protoplasts Isolated from Maize and Tobacco Tissues2

The stability and respiratory and permeability properties ofprotoplasts isolated from maize and tobacco tissues have beeninvestigated. Oxygen uptake rates of maize leaf protoplastsshowed the expected response to a variety of metabolic inhibitors.Studies of leakage from preloaded tissues during protoplastisolation and of phosphate and potassium uptake byprotoplastsindicated that isolation produced a marked increase in membranepermeability. Ageing of protoplasts for 24 h produced a markedchange in the ability of maize leaf protoplasts to absorb potassium.