描述
Studying the physiological effects of gravity fluctuations on plants, researchers at the University of Tuebingen in Germany use BMG LABTECH’s POLARstar microplate reader in parabolic flights. It is known that light and gravity are the two most important factors in helping plants determine where top and bottom are. It is easy to eliminate light to see what effect it has on plants, but trying to investigate changes in gravity prove a little more difficult. By measuring calcium and hydrogen peroxide in plant cells with the durable POLARstar microplate reader, researchers show the effects of gravity on plants during consecutive parabolic flights.
在抛物线飞行期间，获得不同的引力阶段，从血压度（约1.8g）到微匍匐（约10-3g）。在一个航班中，飞行了31个连续的抛物线。NoVespace，来自法国的公司一直在执行这些航班十多年。抛物线飞行的引力效应可以在模拟视频中看到（http://www.novespace.fr/fr，popup.parabole.html）和真实的视频（http://www.youtube.com/watch？v = lhu198e8z2u）。正常重力被指定为1G，并且在抛物线的上升上，重力达到约1.8克（比正常高80％）。然后在进行实验时抛物线的下降，微匍匐的时期持续约22秒。
To investigate the signaling pathway from the stimulus (no gravity) to the response (e.g. activation or deactivation of the expression of certain genes) the level of two important second messengers, Ca2+ and hydrogen peroxide, were monitored. Two transgenic cell lines derived from Arabidopsis thaliana expressing either Cameleon (a calcium sensor) or HyPer (an H2O2 sensor) were used as well as a wild type. The calcium and hydrogen peroxide measurements were performed on a fixed POLARstar OPTIMA in kinetic mode during the whole time of the parabolic flight.
结果表明，钙水平随微重力的增加并之后降低，引起了引起的变化引起的钙通量的影响。使用Polar Star Optima和新的Pherastar FS的进一步抛物线飞行是准备的。一些结果可以在线找到（http://www.bmglabtech.com/customer-focus/parabolic-flights.cfm）。最近还以较高的重力水平与稳健的偏光柱微孔板读卡器进行相应的实验。在不来梅德国使用ZARM（应用空间技术和微普理中心）的超高离心机，整个单元经常被离心高达10克，进一步展示了仪器的鲁棒性。
BMG Labtech的偏光柱微孔板读卡器是一种多模板读数器，可测量荧光，发光，吸光度和荧光极化。其强大的钢壳体和完美的工程机械允许它甚至在高度和低的重力等极端条件下进行。
这些实验是从th拨款资助下的e Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR; 50WB0723). For more information about the Tuebingen research group please have a look here:
http://www.bbp.uni-tuebingen.de/index.php5?object=Content.ResearchTopics.GravitationBiology.
