How much mechanical stimulation is required to cause marine
dinoflagellates to bioluminesce?

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 19 Aug 2004 07:41 PDT

Very little stimulation is needed, and I believe some phytoplankton
bioluminesce spontaneously as well.

What sort of answer are you looking for?  Personal experience?, or
some sort of formal study of the amount of pressure required to cause
plankton to luminesce?

pafalafa-ga

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Clarification of Question by anr4349-ga on 19 Aug 2004 09:19 PDT

Scientific literature better than anecdotal.  Measurements of
pressure, shear forces, membrane distortion, etc. that stimulates
bioluminescence.  However, expert opinion would be acceptable if all
else fails.

Chen, Antony K.; Latz, Michael I.; Frangos, John A.  The use of
dinoflagellate bioluminescence to characterize cell stimulation in
bioreactors.    Biotechnology and Bioengineering  (2003),  83(1), 
93-103

Hamman, J. P.; Seliger, H. H.  Mechanical triggering of
bioluminescence in marine dinoflagellates.  Chemical basis.    Journal
of Cellular Physiology  (1972),  80(3),  397-408

;-)