Theoretical and experimental investigations on the fast rotating clinostat

We have investigated both theoretically and experimentally the validity of the fast rotating clinostat to simulate microgravity for a free swimming single-cell organism such as the paramecium. Computer simulations show that cells on suspension move as cells cultivated in space. However, rotated paramecia are still affected by gravity, as shown by the variations in the rate of paramecium rotation on their axis. Using a fast clinostat, which allows to investigate simultaneously twenty cultures, we have observed a stimulating effect on cell growth rate similar to that previously reported in space. All these results point towards the fact that the fast clinostat can reproduce some of the effects of microgravity on paramecia.