Potassium and its role in cesium transport in plants

In plant cells, potassium (K+) is abundantly present and is dominant cation plays a vital role in maintaining physiological and morphological characteristics of plants. Many membrane integrated channels and transporters specific to K+ are involved in maintaining the potassium concentration within plants via membrane electrical activities. Elemental homologues to K+ compete with it for entry inside plants; among those, cesium is very common radionuclide. Once cesium enters into the plant cell, it can cause phytotoxicity. Therefore, it is desirable to understand complete pathway and mechanisms of cesium uptake in the plants, in order to assess consequences from accidental release of radioactive substance. This review focuses on mechanism of K+ ion uptake through channels/transporter and involvement of these channels/transporter in cesium uptake in plant cells.