Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Imaging and Analysis of Tissue Orientation and Growth Dynamics in the Developing Drosophila Epithelia During Pupal Stages
Published on: June 2, 2020
Emergence of morphological order in the network formation of Physarum polycephalum
1Department of Earth and Planetary System Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan. 02d857n@stu.kobe-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
Emergence in a system appears through the interaction of its components, giving rise to higher order or complexity in the system. We tested for the presence of emergent properties in a biological system using the simplest biological entity of a unicellular organism; the plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum, a giant unicellular amoeboid organism that forms a network-like tubular structure connecting its food sources. We let two plasmodium networks within a single cell interact with each other, and observed how the intracellular interaction affected the morphologenesis of the plasmodium networks. We found that the two networks developed homologous morphology. We further discuss the presence of autonomous and emergent properties in homologous network formation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Diversity of Protists IV
Diversity of Protists III
Morphogenesis
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation
Their main function is to guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis or cancer metastasis by recognizing and making initial contacts with the extracellular matrix. However, they can also act as stationary cell anchors or help to establish communication...
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation
Bacterial Phylum Planctomycetes

