LOCOMOTION OF CELLS 110 



distributing various food products as well as other sub- 

 stances throughout the cell. 



176. In motile cells there is observable a response 

 in direction of the movements to various external stimuli. 

 Thus many cells swim toward the light, or away from it 

 (positive and negative phototaxy). Others swim to- 

 ward or away from various chemical substances (e.g. 

 food matters, acids, etc.) diffusing through the water, 

 this being called chemotaxy. In many cases a degree 

 of light or of concentration of a chemical that causes 

 positive reaction, when increased beyond a certain point 

 repels the cell. It is not always the case that harmful 

 chemical substances (poisons) repel the cell, although 

 usually this is the case. 



Laboratory Studies, (a) Insert the point of the fruit of 

 porcupine grass (Stipa) into a cork or fasten the fruit of cranes- 

 bill (Erodium) to a cork with a drop of seahng wax, with the 

 main shaft of the fruit upright, and place a marker opposite 

 the tip of the bent portion. Place a bell jar partially lined with 

 wet filter paper over it and note how it changes its position and 

 the direction of the motion. Remove the bell jar and note the 

 change in the direction of motion. By spraying a fine mist on 

 the specimen a lively movement will be obtained. 



(b) Mount several ripe sporangia of a fern in a very little 

 water without a cover glass and watch the motion as the water 

 dries out. 



(c) Examine some of the end cells of Chara or Xitella for 

 rotatory movement of cytoplasm, the leaf of Philotria for large 

 streams of cytoplasm carrying the chloroplasts with them, the 

 stamen hairs of Tradescantia or the stem hairs of petunia, 

 tomato or watermelon for more delicate strands of streaming 

 cyto])Iasm. 



(d) With some of the foregoing test the effect on the move- 

 ment of cold (laying on a block of ice) and heat (up to 40° or 

 45° C), examining again at room temperature. 



(e) Place some green felt (Vauchoria) that has been growing 

 on the surface of the ground in a dish of water. Often this will 



