Neodymium cations Nd3+ were transported to the interior of Euglena gracilis 277

Euglena gracilis 277, a unicellular green alga, demonstrated remarkable ability to transport Nd³⁺ to the cell compartments. For a given amount of Nd³⁺ and cells, the results of ICP-AES indicated that the cellular uptake of Nd³⁺ was independent of Nd³⁺ concentration in the bulk solution. The average uptake of Nd³⁺ per cell (m _Nd) is proportional to a parameter ξ — the ratio of neodymium content to the cell counts of the system. A novel approach for probing cellular neodymium by tetraiodotetra chlorofluorescein (I4TCF) has been devised. Data derived from the cryosections of I4TCF-Nd³⁺ stained cells and EDAX of the fast freezing ultrathin cryosections indicate that Nd³⁺ is distributed over the cell compartments. Chloroplasts are the major compartments as the residence of Nd³⁺ in the alga. The transport should be against a concentration gradient of Nd³⁺ on the order of five, even higher. It is proposed that a calcium ion channel would play an important role in the Nd³⁺ transportation.