Berlin 2015 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help

BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 19: Multi-cellular systems

BP 19.3: Talk

Tuesday, March 17, 2015, 10:15–10:30, H 1058

Foraging in the Slime Mold Physarum polycephalum — •Jonghyun Lee, Christina Oettmeier, and Hans-Günther Döbereiner — Institut für Biophysik, Universität Bremen

The slime mold Physarum polycephalum is a multi-nucleated but unicellular organism, which amazingly can grow up to square meters. It forms extended vein networks in order to search for food. The structure and dynamics of the foraging units is dependent on environmental conditions and life stage. We find oscillating microplasmodia which percolate into a network directly, see PRL 109, 078103 (2012), or fuse into compact satellites before transforming into networks as well. Here, we present our recent experimental and theoretical results on the formation of satellites. Satellites are found to be predominant after prolonged starvation of microplasmodia. The number of satellites forming out of a spherical patch of single microplasmodia shows characteristic scaling behavior with coverage. Further, we have obtained ultra-structural insights into the morphology and topology of internal and external transport veins.