POLYETHYLENE-GLYCOL GHOSTS OF NITELLA CELLS AND THEIR USE IN THE STUDY OF CELL-WALL PROPERTIES

A simple method is proposed to produce the ''ghosts'' of Nitella synca rpa cells. The ghosts are the cell walls devoid of plasma membrane and are capable of maintaining turgor due to polyethylene glycol confined inside them. A device is described to record the changes in the thick ness of intact cells and their ghosts as affected by shifts in ambient pressure. Examples are given of the ghost responses to osmotic and me chanical effects. We conclude that this model is promising for the stu dy of cell wall properties.