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Temperature‐Sensitive Responses in Blepharisma
Author(s) -
MATSUOKA TATSUOMI,
MAMIYA RYUSUKE,
TANEDA KOJI
Publication year - 1990
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.1550-7408.1990.tb01153.x
Subject(s) - temperature gradient , population , atmospheric temperature range , biophysics , range (aeronautics) , acceleration , biology , chemistry , materials science , physics , thermodynamics , medicine , meteorology , composite material , classical mechanics , environmental health
Temperature sensitivity of Blepharisma cultured at 23°C was investigated in a temperature range between 18.5°C and 33.5°C. The cells accumulated in an optimal temperature (ca. 27°C) region when they were placed in a chamber with a temperature gradient, although a certain population of the cells accumulated at much higher temperatures. The quantitative analysis of behavioral responses exhibited by the cells revealed that three types of thermal response were responsible for thermoaccumulation of the cells in an optimal temperature: (1) an increase in the frequency of thermophobic response in the cells swimming away from the optimal temperature region; (2) acceleration of forward swimming velocity of the cells swimming toward the optimal temperature region; and (3) higher frequency of spontaneous ciliary reversal of the cells in higher temperature regions.