Induction of the thigmotaxis in Paramecium caudatum.
Induction of thigmotaxis in Paramecium caudatum was examined. We succeeded in the induction by changing the ionic concentration and the Ja-value ([K+]/[Ca2+]1/2) of the surrounding medium. P. caudatum showed thigmotaxis stably in the solution containing a relatively high ionic concentration but a lower Ja-value. We found that the Paramecium cell touched the object with the tip of its oral groove and the cilia touching the object scarcely beat when the organism showed thigmotaxis.
Iwatsuki
K
K
Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Kagawa University, Japan.
Hirano
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010247:Paramecium / Q000502:physiology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000502:physiology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*; D018523:Tropism / Q000502:physiology*
D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium