Cytoplasmic Streaming-- PLEASE help me!

[Tamsicle]

Will someone please tell me what CAUSES cytoplasmic streaming? Where do cells obtain the energy to permit it's occurance? Does light/heat speed up this process? Is this related to the activities of enzymes? Does it affect the rates at which enzymes catalyse reactions?

Thanks.

[b_d_41501]

I have been looking this up for a while now and I cannot find it anywhere?!

[Poison]

As much as I know, cytoplasmic streaming is a useful process to help the nutrients go all through the cell. Nothing CAUSES it. The cell just does it. (with the help of cytoskeleton) And yes, heat and light speeds up the process. I'm not sure about it but, ATP is required. ( I will try to find it from my lab notes.) I don't think it has a relation with enzymes.
I don't have a very detailed info, and some of the answers may not be correct...

[b_d_41501]

Yeah poison, that's all I can locate as well. There's no definite answer for this in anything I have.

[Tamsicle]

I was studying for a bio exam (Monday- wish me luck!) and I incidentally came across an answer- or according so some professor of microbiology- he said something about the contraction of microfilaments CAUSING the process of cytoplasmic streaming. Thanks everyone!

[Poison]

he said something about the contraction of microfilaments CAUSING the process of cytoplasmic streaming.

thats why I wrote about cytoskeleton. The word 'cause' didn't seem to me correct in this situation, but anyway , english is not my native language.

[clarence]

Here's a more detailed explanation about cytoplasmic streaming, from Lodish et.al., Molecular Cell Biology.

Text: Myosin-Generated Movements in Cytoplasmic Streaming, in 18.5 Actin and Myosin in Nonmuscle Cells http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=mcb.section.5230#5241

Figure: Cytoplasmic streaming in cylindrical giant algae http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=mcb.figgrp.5242

To sum up the text, myosins power cytoplasmic streaming although the identity of the myosin involved is unknown.

Additional info: Also, in C. Elegans, cytoplasmic streaming plays a role in determining the polarity in the one-cell embryo. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=ce2.section.448

[philie12]

The explanation i can gather for how cytoplasmic streaming occurs is below:
Cytoplasmic streaming is due to convection around the heat generated by mitochondria.

i hope this helps a little bit.

Philie

[safra]

I have to ask where you got this information about the mitochondrial heat causing convection?