title: Two-dimensional gravitactic bioconvection in a protozoan (Tetrahymena pyriformis) culture.
abstract: Gravitactic bioconvective patterns created by Tetrahymena pyriformis in a Hele-Shaw apparatus were realized and compared with theoretical results. There were found to be two thresholds for bio-convection development: the first indicates the transition from the diffusion to the steady convection state; the second corresponds to the transition from the steady to the unsteady convection state. The results showed that the Hele-Shaw apparatus may be used as a physical analogy of porous media to study 2D bioconvection, with possible extensions to larger scale biological systems where population growth and distribution are driven by similar bio-physical interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, McGill University, Montreal, H3A 1B1, QC, Canada. tri.nguyen-quang@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Tri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nguyen-Quang
authors.forename: The Hung
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guichard
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nicolau
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szatmari
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: LePalec
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dusser
authors.forename: Josee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lafossee
authors.forename: Jean Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bonnet
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bohatier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018522:Gravitropism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement; D013769:Tetrahymena pyriformis / Q000502:physiology*