Cytoplasmic Streaming

The discovery of cytoplasmic streaming made scientists then question, which cytoskeletal network was responsible for driving it. Scientists ingestigated two main networks, actin and microtubules. Both use protein subunits to form their polymer structures spanning the inside of cells. Actin using F-actin and microtubules using alpha/beta tubilin heterodimers. Motors on actin networks known as myosins move vesicles and organelles across the cell, similar to mircotubules which use kinesins in plant cells and kinesins/dyniens in animals cells. To understand cytoplasmic streaming, scientists needed to discover the network in charge. To do so, scientists began 'breaking' the system in plant cells using two chemicals, cytochlasin B and colchicine. When cytochlasin B interfered with the plant cell it apparead the cytoplasmic streaming process halted altogether. Washing the chemical out also confirmed the reversibility as the cells regained full cytoplasmic streaming after a short while. Scientists then decided to test colchicine in another test to determine if microtubules controlled any part of the process. Results showed no decrease in cytoplasmic streaming and therefore mircotubules may not affect this process. In order to confirm this, scientists added both chemicals to a single cell and noted similar results to previous tests. Both together inhibited cytoplasmic streaming, however, when scientists washed out cytochlasin B the cell regained function.