The inhibition of flagellar regeneration in Chlamydomonas reinhardii by inhalational anesthetic halothane

Abstract

The volatile anesthetic halothane was shown to be an effective and fully reversible inhibitor of flagellar regeneration in Chlamydomonas reinhardii. The concentration at which halothane inhibited regeneration (2 mM), flagellar length and motility was normal. At 10 mM halothane, the flagella of control cultures shortened considerably and most cells ceased swimming; most cells did not recover from exposure to 10 mM halothane. Lastly, data is presented which shows that flagella increase in length when cells are placed in H 2O but not when left in growth medium.