Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Physarum plasmodia do contain cytoplasmic microtubules!

I Salles-Passador1, A Moisand, V Planques

  • 1Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, C.N.R.S., Toulouse, France.

Journal of Cell Science
|November 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

The Physarum polycephalum plasmodium contains a cytoplasmic microtubule network, challenging previous claims of its absence. This cytoskeleton is sensitive to cold and microtubule-disrupting drugs.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Black Hole Spectroscopy and Tests of General Relativity with GW250114.

Physical review letters·2026
Same author

Corrigendum to "Diagnostic accuracy of on-scan assessments compared to clinical assessments using a periodontal probe for detecting gingival recession: A cross-sectional study" [Journal of Dentistry Volume 166, March 2026, 106504].

Journal of dentistry·2026
Same author

Diagnostic accuracy of on-scan assessments compared to clinical assessments using a periodontal probe for detecting gingival recession: A cross-sectional study.

Journal of dentistry·2026
Same author

GW250114: Testing Hawking's Area Law and the Kerr Nature of Black Holes.

Physical review letters·2025
Same author

The implementation of a hepatitis C testing service in community pharmacies: I-COPTIC consensus statement.

Public health·2024
Same author

Management of diabetic ketoacidosis in children.

BJA education·2023

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Cytoskeletal Dynamics
  • Mycology

Background:

  • Previous research suggested Physarum polycephalum plasmodia lack cytoplasmic microtubules, characterizing them as unusual syncytia.
  • This study investigates the presence and nature of microtubules within the Physarum polycephalum syncytium.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To confirm or refute the existence of a cytoplasmic microtubule network in Physarum polycephalum.
  • To characterize the structure, dynamics, and sensitivity of these microtubules.

Main Methods:

  • Immunofluorescence microscopy using multiple anti-tubulin antibodies.
  • Electron microscopy for ultrastructural confirmation.
  • Treatment with cold and microtubule-targeting drugs (methyl benzimidazole carbamate, griseofulvin).

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • A complex, three-dimensional cytoplasmic microtubule network was observed in Physarum polycephalum plasmodia.
  • Microtubules were identified using immunofluorescence and confirmed by electron microscopy.
  • The network disassembled reversibly with cold and drug treatments, indicating microtubule sensitivity.

Conclusions:

  • The Physarum polycephalum plasmodium possesses a distinct cytoplasmic microtubule cytoskeleton.
  • Observed microtubules differ from previous reports, likely due to improved detection methods.
  • The presence of this cytoskeleton opens new avenues for research into organelle interactions and cell cycle dynamics.