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Updated: May 16, 2026

Large-Scale Gravitaxis Assay of Caenorhabditis Dauer Larvae
Published on: May 31, 2022
Dependence of gravitaxis in Paramecium on oxygen
R Hemmersbach-Krause1, W Briegleb, D R Häder
1Institute for Aerospace Medicine, Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Köln, FRG.
Abstract:
Gravitaxis of Paramecium at different oxygen concentrations is analyzed by means of a computer controlled image-analysis system. The gravitactic response depends on the oxygen tension: at low-oxic conditions Paramecium shows a precise negative gravitaxis which changes into a random distribution if the oxygen tension is increased. This response is accompanied at first by an increase in swimming velocity, however, if the cells are left in low-oxic conditions for a prolonged time, the correlation between the degree of orientation and the kinetic response disappears. The results are discussed with respect to the putative graviperception mechanism.
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