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Related Experiment Videos

Aligning Paramecium caudatum with static magnetic fields.

Karine Guevorkian1, James M Valles

  • 1Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA. guevorkian@physics.brown.edu

Biophysical Journal
|February 8, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Paramecium caudatum, a unicellular organism, aligns with strong magnetic fields (>3 Tesla). This passive response, driven by diamagnetic anisotropy, offers a new way to manipulate microorganisms.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Microbiology
  • Magnetobiology

Background:

  • Unicellular organisms navigate environments using responses to temperature, chemical, and electric fields.
  • Most organisms do not respond to Earth's magnetic field due to weak magnetic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the response of Paramecium caudatum to intense static magnetic fields.
  • To model the observed magneto-orientation phenomenon.

Main Methods:

  • Observation of Paramecium caudatum trajectories in static magnetic fields (>3 Tesla).
  • Analysis of immobilized, neutrally buoyant paramecia.
  • Modeling magneto-orientation as a passive response to magnetic torque.
  • Measurement of net diamagnetic susceptibility anisotropy (Deltachi(p)) of Paramecium.

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Main Results:

  • Paramecium caudatum trajectories align with intense static magnetic fields.
  • Straight swimming paths curve and orient parallel or antiparallel to the applied field.
  • Immobilized paramecia align their long axis with the magnetic field direction.
  • The average net diamagnetic susceptibility anisotropy was determined as Deltachi(p) = (6.7+/- 0.7) x 10(-23) m(3).

Conclusions:

  • Magneto-orientation in Paramecium is a passive, non-physiological response to magnetic torque on diamagnetically anisotropic components.
  • The measured diamagnetic susceptibility anisotropy provides insights into cellular components.
  • Intense magnetic fields can be used as a novel, noninvasive tool to manipulate unicellular organisms.