Many algae, particularly species of the Characeae, have served as model experimental organisms to understand the mechanisms of the water permeability of membranes, osmoregulation, turgor regulation, salt tolerance, cytoplasmic streaming, and the generation of action potentials.
mˈɛni ˈælɡiː, pɚtˈɪkjʊlɚli spˈiːsiːz ʌvðə tʃˈæɹəsˌiː, hæv sˈɜːvd æz mˈɑːdəl ɛkspˌɛɹɪmˈɛntəl ˈɔːɹɡənˌɪzəmz tʊ ˌʌndɚstˈænd ðə mˈɛkənˌɪzəmz ʌvðə wˈɔːɾɚ pˌɜːməbˈɪlᵻɾi ʌv mˈɛmbɹeɪnz, ˌɑːzmoːɹɡjʊlˈeɪʃən, tˈɜːɡɚ ɹˌɛɡjʊlˈeɪʃən, sˈɔlt tˈɑːlɚɹəns, sˌaɪɾəplˈæzmɪk stɹˈiːmɪŋ, ænd ðə dʒˌɛnɚɹˈeɪʃən ʌv ˈækʃən pətˈɛnʃəlz.