大量组织、器官和植株水平的研究表明硅可影响植物对NH4+和K+养分的吸收，然而宏观现象显示出明显的不一致性，同时也缺乏对应的微观机制分析。本项目将借助原位非损伤微测、原子力显微镜、膜片钳等现代化学分析技术，分别定量测定不同硅（与细胞壁共价交联的有机硅和无机的二氧化硅）修饰的水稻悬浮细胞表面NH4+和K+净离子流、细胞表面力学特性及Kelvin电势、细胞膜的I-V特性。研究的关键是阐释不同结构的硅如何稳定细胞壁，进而影响细胞膜的稳定性以及位于膜上的养分离子的转运子/离子通道的效率。结合NH4+和K+转运子的定量PCR分析以及转运后合成同化产物的分析，在单细胞尺度上揭示有机/无机硅影响NH4+和K+离子吸收的化学机制。该研究排除了植株水平上多因子作用的复杂性，从而使得定义两种不同硅的植物生物学作用成为可能。期望此项目为深入开展单细胞体系的植物营养和表面物理化学交叉研究作出方法学上的探索。

Most research results at the tissue, organ, and whole-plant level show silicon (Si) may influence the uptake of NH4+ and K+, however, these previous studies exhibit an obvious inconsistency and lack the mechanistic analysis. This study is to determine the net ion fluxes of NH4+ and K+ by NMT, mechanical properties and Kelvin potentials by AFM-KPFM, and the cell membrane I-V curves by patch clamp for rice suspension cells modified with organosilicon and inorganic silica on the cell wall, respectively. The key aim of the research is to elucidate the roles of two Si species on cell walls of suspension rice cells in stabilizing cell walls. This, in turn, influence the membrane stability and ion transportation by different ion channels/transporters in cell membrane. Using a combination of qPCR and the content analysis of the assimilation products of NH4+ and K+ ions, we determine the chemical mechanisms of the effects of organosilicon and inorganic silica on cell walls on the uptake of NH4+ and K+ ions. The study designs will rule out biological complexity due to various possible factors influencing experimental results at the tissue, organ, and whole-plant levels, and will define the fundamental role of two Si species. Moreover, this study will provide the method of exploration to advance the interdisciplinary research between plant nutrition and physical chemistry of single cells.