Dresden 2020 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 21: Cell Adhesion and Migration, Multicellular Systems I

BP 21.8: Talk

Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 12:00–12:15, HÜL 386

Relation between long- and short-time wave dynamics in Physarum polycephalum — •Adrian Fessel and Hans-Günther Döbereiner — Universität Bremen, Bremen, Germany

In the recent past, the slime mold Physarum polycephalum has attracted considerable attention due to its behavioral complexity, which is unparalleled in unicellular systems. However, the interplay of mechanisms giving rise to the non-neural information processing observed in the slime mold still lacks detailed understanding. The physical processes believed to be at the basis include mechanochemical oscillations. These organize as peristaltic wave patterns propagating on, and simultaneously modifying, a time-variant network topology. Comparable stable patterns are observed in micrometer-sized fragments and on extended networks, and share some visual similarity with spatiotemporal modulation of neuron activity in the brain. Here, we present a quantitative computational approach for the analysis of travelling waves on centimeter-sized network topologies. Employing a clustering method, we characterize recurring patterns. This leads to the identification of a functional link between wave dynamics at very different time-scales, extending to the migratory behavior of the slime mold.