Microgravity dependence of excitable biological and physicochemical media

Hanke, Wolfgang; Lima, Vera Maura Fernandes de; Wiedemann, Meike; Meissner, Klaus

doi:10.1007/s00709-006-0211-1

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Our present results complement the previous one obtained using animal neuronal tissues and reveal that plant APs are gravity-sensitive in the same manner as already reported for animal APs 5 6 . We can conclude that APs in root tissues of higher plants and neuronal tissues of animals are gravity-dependent.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Fast gravity perceiving systems, when the perception of a changing acceleration is rapidly transduced into electrical signals, have been documented from unicellular organisms 4 up to neuronal tissues 5 6 . In plants, numerous studies indicate that cell membranes, membrane proteins and membrane potentials are involved in the perception of gravity 7 8 9 .…”

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confidence: 99%

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The Electrical Network of Maize Root Apex is Gravity Dependent

Masi

Ciszak

Comparini

et al. 2015

Sci Rep

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Investigations carried out on maize roots under microgravity and hypergravity revealed that gravity conditions have strong effects on the network of plant electrical activity. Both the duration of action potentials (APs) and their propagation velocities were significantly affected by gravity. Similarly to what was reported for animals, increased gravity forces speed-up APs and enhance synchronized electrical events also in plants. The root apex transition zone emerges as the most active, as well as the most sensitive, root region in this respect.L ife on Earth has evolved under omnipresent and stable gravity forces which act on all living organisms of the planet. Such a permanent physical stimulus, influencing both growth and behaviour, has led to the evolution of gravity perceiving systems in almost any organism. This is true also in plants, where gravitropism plays a central role in the whole plant life cycle (see for example refs. 1-3).Fast gravity perceiving systems, when the perception of a changing acceleration is rapidly transduced into electrical signals, have been documented from unicellular organisms 4 up to neuronal tissues 5,6 . In plants, numerous studies indicate that cell membranes, membrane proteins and membrane potentials are involved in the perception of gravity [7][8][9] . Typically, organismal responses to this environmental stimulus involve the modulation of the cell bioelectrical properties 10,11 . Numerous genes are up-and down-regulated in roots of plants exposed to microgravity [12][13][14] . In addition, roots exposed to microgravity change some of their behavioural features such as their responses to electric fields and light 15,16 . However, inherent root behaviour patterns, such as circumnutations and waving/skewing when grown on the agar plates, have turned out to be gravity-independent [17][18] .In animals, the properties of action potentials (APs) have been also found to be gravity-dependent. Experiments with isolated nerve fibres 19 and muscles 20 showed gravity-sensitive APs. For example, their propagation velocities and the frequency of their generation increased under hypergravity and decreased under microgravity conditions compared to the ground control. Alterations in ion channel permeability due to changes in gravity may be involved in these responses 21,22 , indicating that gravity detection might be an intrinsic property of biological membranes and/or of their ion channels.In higher plants, measurements of electrical potentials under gravistimulation (applying a rotation of 90u to the plant body) have been accomplished since the last century 23 . There is substantial evidence that the reorientation of plants in the gravity field induces a transient electrical activity (the so-called ''geoelectric effect'') (for a review see ref. 24). More recently, a number of investigations on the effect of gravity change on single cells, shoot and roots of plants have been performed. For example, fast changes (up to 17 mV) in surface potentials following gravitropic stimulation have bee...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Electrical Network of Maize Root Apex is Gravity Dependent

Masi

Ciszak

Comparini

et al. 2015

Sci Rep

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“…The velocity of SD waves of retinal eyecups from chickens was slower under microgravity and faster under hypergravity (parabolic flights and centrifuges). 68 – 71 However, the SD waves were faster during a sounding rocket mission (TEXUS). 68 The authors speculated that a possible adaptation effect from the launch could have been the reason for this disagreement.…”

Section: Electrophysiological Experiments In Microgravitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 68 – 71 However, the SD waves were faster during a sounding rocket mission (TEXUS). 68 The authors speculated that a possible adaptation effect from the launch could have been the reason for this disagreement.…”

Section: Electrophysiological Experiments In Microgravitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrophysiological experiments in microgravity: lessons learned and future challenges

et al. 2018

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Advances in electrophysiological experiments have led to the discovery of mechanosensitive ion channels (MSCs) and the identification of the physiological function of specific MSCs. They are believed to play important roles in mechanosensitive pathways by allowing for cells to sense their mechanical environment. However, the physiological function of many MSCs has not been conclusively identified. Therefore, experiments have been developed that expose cells to various mechanical loads, such as shear flow, membrane indentation, osmotic challenges and hydrostatic pressure. In line with these experiments, mechanical unloading, as experienced in microgravity, represents an interesting alternative condition, since exposure to microgravity leads to a series of physiological adaption processes. As outlined in this review, electrophysiological experiments performed in microgravity have shown an influence of gravity on biological functions depending on ion channels at all hierarchical levels, from the cellular level to organs. In this context, calcium signaling represents an interesting cellular pathway, as it involves the direct action of calcium-permeable ion channels, and specific gravitatic cells have linked graviperception to this pathway. Multiple key proteins in the graviperception pathways have been identified. However, measurements on vertebrae cells have revealed controversial results. In conclusion, electrophysiological experiments in microgravity have shown that ion-channel-dependent physiological processes are altered in mechanically unloaded conditions. Future experiments may provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms.

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“…A physical parameter always present on Earth is gravity (1g), but micro-g or macro-g can significantly influence neuronal tissue as has been tested using the retinal SD (Wiedemann et al 2005;Hanke et al 2006) in parabolic flights and sounding rocket missions as well as in a laboratory centrifuge. It has been shown that the waves significantly slow down under micro-g and accelerate at higher g-values.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Central nervous tissue: an excitable medium. A study using the retinal spreading depression as a tool

Hanke

Lima

2007

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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According to its physicochemical properties, neuronal tissue, including the central nervous system (CNS) and thus the human brain, is an excitable medium, which consequently exhibits, among other things, self-organization, pattern formation and propagating waves. Furthermore, such systems can be controlled by weak external forces. The spreading depression (SD), a propagating wave of excitation-depression, is such an event, which is additionally linked to a variety of medically important situations, classical migraine being just one example. Especially in retinal tissue, a true part of the CNS, the SD can be observed very easily with the naked eye and by video imaging techniques due to its big intrinsic optical signal.We have investigated the retinal SD and its control by external physical parameters such as gravity and temperature. Beyond this, especially due to its medical relevance, the control of CNS excitability by pharmacological tools is of specific interest, and we have studied this question in detail using the retinal SD as an experimental tool to collect information about the control of CNS tissue excitability.

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Microgravity dependence of excitable biological and physicochemical media

Cited by 12 publications

References 15 publications

The Electrical Network of Maize Root Apex is Gravity Dependent

The Electrical Network of Maize Root Apex is Gravity Dependent

Electrophysiological experiments in microgravity: lessons learned and future challenges

Central nervous tissue: an excitable medium. A study using the retinal spreading depression as a tool

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