Abstract : Mimosa Pudica also called as sensitive plant that responds to physical touch.

Many hypothesis have been proposed to explain the thigmonastic behaviour. In this report two major hypothesis include Electrical Signal Transduction and Chemical Sensitivity are explained briefly which independently correspond to the thigmonastic behaviour of mimosa pudica. Introduction: Evolution of plants and animals are simiar they show similarity in metabolic and physiological activities.Many plants droop their leaves during night time to protect the water loss from the leaves as they are photosynthesizing in the night.There is a special kind of plant called Mimosa Pudica which is sensitive to physical touch similar to animal and human behaviour. It also droops its leaves in night or exposed to rain or excessive heat. Many experiments have been conducted by the researchers and several hypothesis have been proposed.In this report we are interested in presenting the mechanism involved in thigmonastic behaviour of mimosa pudica. Hypothesis: Based on the experiments conducted by the researchers two hypothesis have been proposed. One is based on the signal transduction by mechanical stimuli which are transferred to the motor cells in the pulvinus. This results in loss of Turgur pressure in the motor cells that causes movement in petiole and closing of leaflets. The second hypothesis is based on the presence of a chemical compund that moves through xylem vessels to induce mechanical responses to stimuli. In the present study the mechanism of electrical signal transduction has been reported briefly. Mechanisms: The responses in mimosa pudica can be considered in three stages (1) Stimulus perception (2)Signal transmission (3) Induction of response. Electrical Signal Transduction: There are some special red cells found on the adaxial surface of tertiary

pulvinus of mimosa pudica, which are named as mechano receptor cells. These cell play an important role in generating receptor potential following mechanical stimuli and which are in connection with excitable motor cells through Plasmodesmota. By histochemical studies it has been observed that red cells contain tanins which are important in development of action potential and movement of plants. There are some speciaized cells named motor cells in every plant which are present in pulvinus or roots. In mimosa pudica these motor cells which are present in pulvinus play an important role in movement of petiole.This motor cells contain two different types of vacoules tanin containing and tanin less vacoules. By expermental study tanin containing less vacoule is a contractile vacoule. This tanin vacoules release Ca2+ ions. In plants the most important ions are Ca2+ and Cl- ions[29 in Tamas Visnovitz]. After arrival of the stimulus free Ca2+ concentration in the cytoplasm increases. Depolarization occurs due to Ca2+ activation of Ca2+ dependent anion channels and massive efflux of Cl-. Depolarization leads to opening of K+ channels and K+ efflux repolarizes the plasma membrane. Due to this exchange of ionic salts in the vacuoles there is loss of turgur pressure which results in contraction of pelvinis.[Tamas visnovitz reference] Chemical Mechanism : Researchers suggested that there exits a chemical compound Gallic acid (turgorin 4-0) which is responsible for the seismonastic movements in mimosa pudica.The binding site of this turgorin is located on the plasma membrane in the pulvinus.It has been said that the Mechanism of turgorin action is similar to acetylcholine effects in animal nerves[20,21,22 Tamas]. Conclusion : The electrical signal transduction mechanism of Mimosa pudica plant has been explained briefly. Though there are many hypothesis available each hypotheis couldnot be related with other and the exact mechanism is still yet unknown.