NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Gravity related behavior of the acellular slime mold Physarum polycephalum (7-IML-1)The objective of the experiment is to investigate the effect of near weightlessness on a single cell. The test object is the acellular slime mold Physarum polycephalum. This cell is composed of a network of protoplastic strands which perform rhythmic contractions in the minute range. These contractions of the strands' ectoplastic walls generate the force to drive the vigorous shuttle streaming of fluid protoplasm inside the strands (hydrostatic pressure flow). A net transport of protoplasm in one direction determines the direction of the cell's locomotion itself. In this way, gravity modifies the contraction rhythm of the strands, the streaming velocity of protoplasm in the strands, and the direction of locomotion of the whole slime mold (geotaxis). The other parts of this experiment will address the major question of how this cell, which does not possess any specialized gravireceptors, gets the information about the direction of the gravity vector. Details of the experimental setup are given.
Document ID
19920014375
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Other
Authors
Block, I.
(Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt Cologne, Germany)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
February 1, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: NASA. Marshall Space Flight Center, First International Microgravity Laboratory Experiment Descriptions
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Accession Number
92N23618
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available