Gravity effects on biological systems

Application of the Laser Interferometry in Studies of Biophysical Model Systems

“…The influence of gravity on the diffusion of substances can manifest in two ways: the gravitational field impacts immediately on the motion of the particles (migration) and buoyant forces appear which cause the onset of convection if the gravitational acceleration is not perpendicular to the density gradient. The influence of gravity on the substance transport can explain the mechanism of many effects, which are observed in biological systems under microgravity conditions (Schatz et al, 1992). Lack of convection in microgravity favors the formation of diffusion layers around the cells.…”

Evolution of concentration field in a membrane system

“…It is particularly noticeable in biological systems when gravity conditions are changed. The influence of the CBLs on the membrane transport can explain the mechanism of many gravity effects, which are observed in these systems in microgravity conditions [17][18][19]. Lack of sedimentation and convective mixing in microgravity favors the formation of CBLs around the cells.…”

“…All perturbations in substance transport across cell membrane may result in gradients for nutrients, oxygen, and waste products [18,19]. Schatz and Linke-Hommes pointed out that potential and solute variations may occur at the cellsolution interface [18]. In these cells, the uptake rate of oxygen and nutrient is changed and therefore the cell metabolism is markedly affected.…”

“…In the presence of permeating solutes and CBLs, water flows across membrane can give rise to pseudo solvent drag, and in a permselective membrane, to pseudostreaming potentials [6][7][8]13,22]. All perturbations in substance transport across cell membrane may result in gradients for nutrients, oxygen, and waste products [18,19]. Schatz and Linke-Hommes pointed out that potential and solute variations may occur at the cellsolution interface [18].…”

“…The temporal and spatial structure of the CBLs and their hydrodynamic stability or instability depends on the geometrical form of the membrane and orientation of membrane system with respect to the direction of gravitational force [17,18,22,[26][27][28][29]. The spatiotemporal structure of CBLs gives the information about transport mechanisms in the membrane system.…”