STABLE MAGNETIC-FIELD GRADIENT LEVITATION OF XENOPUS-LAEVIS - TOWARD LOW-GRAVITY SIMULATION

We have levitated, for the first time, living biological specimens, em bryos of the frog Xenopus laevis, using a large inhomogeneous magnetic field. The magnetic field/field gradient product required for levitat ion was 1430 kG(2)/cm, consistent with the embryo's susceptibility bei ng dominated by the diamagnetism of water and protein. We show that un like any other earth-based technique, magnetic field gradient levitati on of embryos reduces the body forces and gravity-induced stresses on them. We discuss the use of large inhomogeneous magnetic fields as a p robe for gravitationally sensitive phenomena in biological specimens.