Cytoplasmic streaming in Chara rhizoids: studies in a reduced gravitational field during parabolic flights of rockets.

In-vivo videomicroscopy of Chara rhizoids under 10(-4)g demonstrated that gravity affected the velocities of cytoplasmic streaming. Both, the acropetal and basipetal streaming velocities increased on the change to microgravity. The endogenous difference in the velocities of the oppositely directed cytoplasmic streams was maintained under microgravity, yet the difference was diminished as the basipetal streaming velocity increased more than the acropetal streaming velocity. Direction and structure of microfilaments labeled by rhodamine-phalloidin had not changed after 6 min of microgravity.