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Allometry in Physarum plasmodium during free locomotion: size versus shape, speed and rhythm

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Title: Allometry in Physarum plasmodium during free locomotion: size versus shape, speed and rhythm
Authors: Kuroda, Shigeru Browse this author →ORCID
Takagi, Seiji Browse this author
Nakagaki, Toshiyuki Browse this author →KAKEN DB
Ueda, Tetsuo Browse this author →KAKEN DB
Keywords: Cell locomotion
Scaling
Self-organization
Dimensional analysis
Spatial memory
Localization of locomotion machinery
Traveling wave
Issue Date: 1-Dec-2015
Publisher: Company of Biologists
Journal Title: Journal of experimental biology
Volume: 218
Issue: 23
Start Page: 3729
End Page: 3738
Publisher DOI: 10.1242/jeb.124354
PMID: 26449972
Abstract: Physarum plasmodium is a giant unicellular organism whose length can vary by more than three orders of magnitude. Using plasmodia ranging in size from 100 mu m to 10 cm, we investigated the size dependency of their thickness distributions and locomotion speeds during free locomotion. (1) In the longitudinal direction, the organism is thickest close to the front, and decreases exponentially in thickness towards the rear. The slenderness ratio varies with body size according to a power law, such that large plasmodia are long and flat, whereas small plasmodia are short and thick. (2) The mean locomotion speed is proportional to the mean maximum thickness of the frontal part. By conducting a dimensional analysis, possible physical models are discussed. (3) The intrinsic period of the thickness oscillation, which is related to shuttle streaming (period 1-2 min), increases logarithmically with body size. (4) Various characteristics exhibit size-independent, long-period (20 +/- 10 min) oscillations, including speed, shape and intrinsic thickness oscillation period. These variations are closely coupled to formation of the entire cell shape, including undulation of thickness along the longitudinal axis and timing of branching of the frontal tip. Based on these experimental results and those reported previously, we propose a simple mathematical model for cell locomotion.
Rights: © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd
Type: article
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2115/63698
Appears in Collections:電子科学研究所 (Research Institute for Electronic Science) > 雑誌発表論文等 (Peer-reviewed Journal Articles, etc)

Submitter: 黒田 茂

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