A plausible model for reversal of neoplastic transformations in plants based on multiple steady states.

We offer a plausible interpretation of some experiments on the reversal of neoplastic transformations in plants. We suggest that normal cells and tumorous cells represent multiple stable-steady states corresponding to a reaction feedback mechanism. The (autocatalytic) feedback loop is constructed from observations on the role played by myo-inositol: it increases the permeability of ions through the membrane and the biosynthetic pathway to myo-inositol is activated by ions. Provided that the permeabilities of nutrients (sugars and salts) are a product-enhanced function of myo-inositol, then we have a (oversimplified) model that can exhibit multiple stationary stable states, one or two depending on the exogenous nutrients and myo-inositol concentrations, and reversible and irreversible transitions from one of these states to the other are possible. From this model, straightforward simple experiments are suggested. We also propose that recent models dealing with the intracellular calcium regulation by hormones, where one key step requires the hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids, take into account free myo-inositol and endogenous hormone concentrations (e.g., auxins).