To investigate whether the presence of a high magnetic field determines microtubule self-organisation by reaction-diffusion processes.
Microtubules are a major component of the cytoskeleton. In vitro microtubules preparations self-organise by a combination of reaction and diffusion. This can be triggered by weak external physical factors such as gravity at a critical moment early in the process, before any pattern is visible. When microtubules are assembled in sample cells placed horizontal to gravity then concentric circles develop whereas a series of horizontal stripes form when the sample cells are positioned vertical.
| Exposure | Parameters |
|---|---|
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Exposure 1:
Exposure duration:
continuous for 15 min
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| Frequency | |
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| Type | |
| Exposure duration | continuous for 15 min |
| Exposure source | |
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| Setup | Two sample cells were inserted into a sample holder which was placed horizontally in the magnet, such that one sample was in the center of the field and the other outside the field. |
| Additional info | Microtubules were assembled by placing tubulin samples (10 mg/ml in the presence of 2 mM GTP) to a height of 2 cm in glass cells (4 cm x 1 cm x 0.1 cm). The samples were positioned horizontally in the field and the field itself was in horizontal direction. |
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| magnetic flux density | 7 T | unspecified | unspecified | - | - |
| magnetic flux density | 4 T | unspecified | unspecified | - | - |
| magnetic flux density | 13 T | unspecified | unspecified | - | - |
| magnetic flux density | 2 T | unspecified | unspecified | - | - |
The results demonstrated that in vitro microtubule self-organisation by reaction and diffusion was strongly dependent upon high magnetic fields (about 4 Tesla) at a critical period.
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