Motile Behaviour of Endoplasmic Drops Isolated from Nitella Cells

Endoplasmic drops isolated from the internodal cells of Nitella flexilis by the “negative pressure method” developed by Kamiya and Kuroda (Prot Japan Acad 33: 149–152, 1957) showed no mass streaming at first. However, after 1 day incubation in an artificial medium, they began to show mass streaming with sliding at the interface between the outermost layer of the endoplasmic mass and the inner surface of the membrane. New cell wall deposition at the outer surface of the membrane was detected by staining with Calcofluore White ST. The endoplasmic drops could survive outside the cell for 7 days in the artificial medium.