Osmotaxis

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Osmotaxis

the ability of the growing organs of higher plants (roots, rhizoids), motile unicellular algae, protozoans, and gametes (including spermatozoids) to orient themselves or move in the direction of optimal osmotic pressure. The optimal osmotic pressure for a given species is not constant but varies with the chemical nature of the substrate.

References in periodicals archive ?

This phenomenon of osmotaxis is thought to drive migration of Leishmania promastigotes during the insect phase, and is proposed to be essential for successful transmission of the parasite to the vertebrate host (Figarella et al., 2007).

This corresponds to the localization of Leishmania LmAQP1 and may be associated with a function in osmotaxis (Figarella et al., 2007).

Moreover, and unrelated to metabolism, protozoan parasite AQPs are involved in osmotaxis and shape changes.