[Potassium transport from Infusoria Tetrahymena pyriformis GL, immobilized by accelerations of 80-260 g].

The effects of direct influence of gravity on a cell have been studied. Potassium transport from infusoria. Tetrahymena pyriformis GL induced by the high gravitational levels which immobilize the cell (80, 140, 260 g) was examined. A minimum acceleration level at which the cells become motionless is 80 g. Kinetics of potassium output can be described as containing "fast" and "slow" component. The rate of potassium output relating to fast component does not depend on an acceleration level but is a function of the age and density of culture. The potassium output rate associated with slow component increases as acceleration is increased. It also rises in the course of time which points to a change of internal structure of the cells occurring the more rapidly the higher level of acceleration is. Direct effect of gravity on the cell is realized by two ways: 1) effect which results from difference of densities of cell and its environment; 2) effect on intracellular structures due to difference of their densities. It is supposed that the observed effects in main are being developed at the cost of a 2nd type of gravity effect.