Berlin 2024 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 8: Poster Session Ia

BP 8.31: Poster

Monday, March 18, 2024, 18:00–20:30, Poster C

Unravelling the collective behavior of protrusions for directed migration — •Lucas Tröger and Karen Alim — School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany

Unlike bacteria, eukaryotic cells are large enough to sense a chemical gradient across their cell body. However, chemotaxis of an entire cell requires a mechanism for coordinating competing protrusions. The slime mold P. polycephalum is a giant unicellular organism built in the form of a fluid-filled tubular network. Its strong and large-scale cytoplasmic flows make it an ideal model organism to study the role of fluid flows in coordinating the collective behavior of competing protrusions during morphological changes during chemotaxis. We perform experiments, analyze trajectories and protrusion dynamics, and simulate fluid flows to elucidate the mechanism that coordinates the chemotaxis of this macroscopic cell.

Keywords: slime molds; chemotaxis