Information Technologies for Biology Education: Computerized Electrophysiology of Plant Cells

Abstract. Biology has moved from a bench-based discipline to a bioinformational science in modern times but application of computational and analytical methods of informatics in it is still a problem for many researchers and students of biology. We suggest to integrate cost effective and practical combination of the real and the virtual laboratories into the undergraduate biological science curriculum. This laboratory work illustrates passive and active electrical properties of plant cell membranes while introducing basic principles of electrophysiological recording, data acquisition and analysis. As the object for investigation in this laboratory work large cells of starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) were used. The simple program for experiment control and express visualization of recorded data was developed. Experiment proposed in this paper is easy implemented with a minimum of laboratory equipment, materials and gives an experience of computerized biological experiment.

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2008
• Where: IIE
• Authors: Vilma Kisnieriene, Kastytis Beitas, Vidmantas Sakalauskas, Algis Daktariunas
• Keywords: Active Electrical Properties, IIE 2008, Plant Cell Membranes, Undergraduate Biological Science