electroosmotic hypothesis
Quick Summary
The electroosmotic hypothesis is a theory that proposes that the movement of solutions across sieve plates in plant phloem is driven by an electric potential. This potential is thought to be maintained by the circulation of positively charged ions, such as potassium.1
This hypothesis is one of several explanations for phloem transport, which is the process by which sugars produced during photosynthesis move from leaves to other parts of the plant, such as growing tissues and storage organs. Unlike xylem transport, which is always upward from the roots, phloem transport is variable and metabolically controlled.12
Electroosmosis itself is defined as the movement of a liquid through a porous material or biological membrane due to an electric field. While the electroosmotic hypothesis offers a potential mechanism for phloem transport, it is not the only one, and the exact process remains a subject of study.31
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