Intelligent behaviors of amoeboid movement based on complex dynamics of soft matter

Area of Science:

• Soft matter physics
• Cellular information processing
• Biophysics

Background:

• Physarum plasmodium exhibits complex foraging behavior, navigating mazes to find food sources efficiently.
• This intelligent behavior involves the formation of tubular structures that optimize nutrient absorption and intracellular communication.
• The organism's actions are governed by a dynamic internal network transmitting mechanical and chemical signals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review how soft matter self-organization in Physarum enables cellular-level information processing.
• To examine experimental studies on the development and adaptation of Physarum's dynamic network structures.
• To discuss mechanochemical models for understanding Physarum's cell shape development and network formation.

Main Methods:

• Review of experimental studies on Physarum plasmodium's structure and behavior.
• Analysis of a recently developed model for Physarum's dynamic network.
• Examination of mechanochemical models for protoplasm and general motile cells.

Main Results:

• Physarum optimizes nutrient absorption and communication by forming shortest-path networks.
• A dynamic network model captures existing network behavior but not initial formation.
• Mechanochemical models offer insights into cell shape and intelligent network development.

Conclusions:

• Physarum plasmodium demonstrates sophisticated information processing through self-organized soft matter.
• Further development of mechanochemical models is needed to explain the initial formation of these intelligent networks.
• Understanding Physarum's network dynamics can provide insights into self-organization and information processing in biological systems.