Memristors in biomembranes

A memristor is a nonlinear element; its current-voltage characteristic is similar to that of a Lissajous pattern. Recently, we found memristors as components of plasma membranes in many plants, fruits, and seeds. The analysis of presence of memristors in a bio-tissue is based on cyclic voltammetric characteristics where the memristor, a resistor with memory, should manifest itself. Tetraethylammonium chloride, an inhibitor of voltage-gated K⁺ channels, or NPPB, a blocker of voltage-gated Cl^- and K⁺ channels, transform a memristor to a resistor in plant tissue. Uncouplers carbonylcyanide-3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) and carbonylcyanide-4-trifluoromethoxy-phenyl hydrazone (FCCP) decrease the amplitude of electrical responses at low and high frequencies of bipolar periodic electrostimulating waves. The discovery of memristors in the plant kingdom creates a new direction in the modeling and understanding of electrical phenomena in plant membrane structures.