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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 31, 2026

4D Microscopy of Yeast

4D Microscopy of Yeast

Published on: April 28, 2019

A physical perspective on cytoplasmic streaming.

Raymond E Goldstein¹, Jan-Willem van de Meent²

¹Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences , University of Cambridge , Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA , UK.

Interface Focus

|October 15, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cellular fluid movement, known as cytoplasmic streaming, helps large cells overcome transport limitations. This organized motion is key to cell function and homeostasis in diverse organisms.

Keywords:

cell size cytoplasmic streaming transport

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Area of Science:

Cell biology
Biophysics
Physics of biological systems

Background:

Cell size is typically limited to 100 µm due to physical and biological constraints.
Exceptions like the aquatic plant Chara, with cells over 10 cm, offer insights into these limits.
Cytoplasmic streaming is a widespread phenomenon in eukaryotic cells, particularly large ones.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the physics of cytoplasmic streaming.
To examine the relationship between streaming, intracellular transport, and cell size.
To discuss the role of self-organization in streaming patterns.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on cytoplasmic streaming.
Analysis of the physical principles governing fluid dynamics within cells.
Examination of molecular motor function in driving cytoplasmic flow.

Main Results:

Cytoplasmic streaming involves molecular motors creating organized fluid motion.
Streaming speeds can reach up to 100 µm s(-1) in organisms like Chara.
This motion is hypothesized to enhance metabolite transport and maintain homeostasis in large cells.

Conclusions:

Cytoplasmic streaming is a crucial adaptation for large eukaryotic cells.
The interplay between streaming, transport, and cell size is complex.
Self-organization likely plays a significant role in the observed patterns of cytoplasmic streaming.