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Relations Between Photobehavior and Ionically Stimulated Swimming Behavior in Paramecium bursaria 1
Author(s) -
CRONKITE DONALD L.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1986.tb05555.x
Subject(s) - paramecium , photostimulation , biophysics , stimulation , biology , membrane , membrane potential , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , biochemistry , endocrinology
. Cells of Paramecium bursaria , which harbor a symbiotic alga of the genus Chlorella , reverse the effective beat of their cilia and swim backward when stimulated in either of two ways. Ionic stimulation is introduction of cells into a solution high in K + while step‐down photostimulation is a sharp reduction in the intensity of light falling on the culture. Much is known about the mechanisms of ionic stimulation of ciliary reversal, but little is known about step‐down photobehavior. Inhibitors of ionically stimulated ciliary reversal were applied to cells undergoing step‐down photobehavior; Ca‐channel inhibitors, neomycin and W‐7, inhibit both behaviors. Activation of Ca‐channels in the ciliary membrane is involved in step‐down photobehavior, suggesting that the algae may alter the Paramecium membrane to make it more excitable.