Abstract
Gravity is a ubiquitous force on the earth and affects the growth and morphogenesis of plants. Changes in the gravity vector (gravistimulation) are supposed to be transduced into certain intracellular signals in the early process of the gravitropic response. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings, gravistimulation is known to increase the cytoplasmic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]c). However, the detail underlying cellular/molecular mechanisms of the gravitropic response and the process of forming a sensing machinery remain to be solved. Using microgravity conditions it would be possible to examine whether the cellular process of gravity sensor formation is dependent on 1 G of gravity and explore the molecular mechanism underlying gravity sensing.
