Access

News and Views

Nature Cell Biology 10, 509–511 (1 May 2008) | doi:10.1038/ncb0508-509

Coming closer to a stoma ion channel

Laura Serna

Stomata are like windows on the surface of leaves: they close to prevent water vapour loss during transpiration, but open to allow CO2 uptake for photosynthesis. The stomatal pore aperture depends on the transport of ions and organic metabolites across guard-cell membranes.