Use of Carbowaxes (Polyethylene Glycols) as Osmotic Agents

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Abstract
The effects of Carbowaxes upon the following have been determined: (A) elongation and plasmolysis of root hairs and primary roots and cytoplasmic streaming of root hairs of redtop grass seedlings; (B) indoleacetic acid-induced elongation of oat coleoptile sections; and (C) permeability and fresh weight of beet root discs. Growth of root hairs was inhibited completely by very low concentrations of Carbowaxes; concentrations much lower than those required to plasmolyze the cells or to interfere with cytoplasmic streaming. Streaming still occurred in some hairs which had become plasmolyzed and were flattened into twisted filaments. The effects of Carbowaxes upon indoleacetic acid-induced elongation of oat coleoptiles were similar to those obtained by equivalent concentrations of the osmotic agent mannitol. Carbowaxes did not increase loss of anthocyanin from beet root tissue, even at high concentrations. These results demonstrate that Carbowaxes, although they may be suitable osmotic agents for multicellular systems such as coleoptile sections or root systems, are not suitable as osmotic agents in studies of root hair elongation.