Brief exposure to high magnetic fields determines microtubule self-organisation by reaction-diffusion processes.


Author: Glade N1, Tabony J.

Affiliation: 1Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Département Réponse et Dynamique Cellulaires, Laboratoire d'Immunochimie, INSERM U548, D.S.V, C.E.A. Grenoble, France.
Conference/Journal: Biophys Chem. 
Date published: 2005 May
Other:
 Volume ID: 115   ,  Issue ID: 1   ,  Pages: 29-35   ,  Word Count: 134  
    

A frequent feature of microtubule organisation in living systems is that it can be triggered by a variety of biochemical or physical factors. Under appropriate conditions, in vitro microtubule preparations self-organise by a reaction-diffusion process in which self-organisation depends upon, and can be triggered by, weak external physical factors such as gravity. Here, we show that self-organisation is also strongly dependent upon the presence of a high magnetic field, for a brief critical period early in the process, and before any self-organised pattern is visible. These results provide evidence that external physical factors trigger self-organisation by way of an orientational bias that breaks the symmetry of the reaction-diffusion process. As microtubule organisation is central to many cell functions, this behaviour provides a mechanism by which strong magnetic fields can intervene in biological processes.

PMID: 15848281