title: Brief exposure to high magnetic fields determines microtubule self-organisation by reaction-diffusion processes.
abstract: A frequent feature of microtubule organisation in living systems is that it can be triggered by a variety of biochemical or physical factors. Under appropriate conditions, in vitro microtubule preparations self-organise by a reaction-diffusion process in which self-organisation depends upon, and can be triggered by, weak external physical factors such as gravity. Here, we show that self-organisation is also strongly dependent upon the presence of a high magnetic field, for a brief critical period early in the process, and before any self-organised pattern is visible. These results provide evidence that external physical factors trigger self-organisation by way of an orientational bias that breaks the symmetry of the reaction-diffusion process. As microtubule organisation is central to many cell functions, this behaviour provides a mechanism by which strong magnetic fields can intervene in biological processes.
authors.affiliation: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Département Réponse et Dynamique Cellulaires, Laboratoire d'Immunochimie, INSERM U548, D.S.V, C.E.A. Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Glade
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabony
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004058:Diffusion; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D008870:Microtubules / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014404:Tubulin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin