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Related Experiment Videos

Interaction between cell shape and contraction pattern in the Physarum plasmodium.

T Nakagaki1, H Yamada, T Ueda

  • 1Bio-mimetic Control Research Center, The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Moriyama, Nagoya, Japan. nakagaki@bmc.riken.go.jp

Biophysical Chemistry
|June 14, 2000
PubMed
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Cell shape and rhythmic contractions in Physarum polycephalum are interconnected. Changes in vein structure alter contraction patterns, and external stimuli can induce new vein formation, creating a feedback loop.

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Physarum polycephalum exhibits rhythmic contractile activity and forms complex vein networks.
  • Cell shape influences protoplasmic flow and communication between contraction oscillators.
  • Understanding the interplay between cell morphology and internal dynamics is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the bidirectional relationship between cell shape and rhythmic contractile activity in Physarum polycephalum.
  • To elucidate how vein organization affects spatio-temporal contraction patterns.
  • To demonstrate the feedback mechanism between contractile activity and cell morphology.

Main Methods:

  • Observation of Physarum polycephalum plasmodium on agar.
  • Analysis of vein structure changes under different conditions.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Induction of phase differences in rhythmic contraction using external temperature oscillations.
  • Microscopic imaging and pattern analysis of protoplasmic flow and vein formation.

    • Main Results:

    • Dendritic vein structures facilitate higher protoplasmic mixing and synchronized contractions.
    • Stimulation-induced changes to veinless or vein-network structures decrease protoplasmic mixing and lead to decentralized contraction patterns.
    • Artificial induction of phase differences in contraction rhythm resulted in new vein formation aligned with the phase difference.
    • A feedback loop exists where cell shape influences contraction patterns, and contraction patterns influence cell shape.

    Conclusions:

    • Cellular vein organization and rhythmic contractile activity in Physarum polycephalum are dynamically coupled.
    • This coupling forms a feedback loop essential for pattern formation and adaptation.
    • The study reveals a novel mechanism of self-organization in a large-scale cellular system.