title: Oscillations and cell development in Dictyostelium discoideum stimulated by folic acid pulses.
abstract: Folic acid is known to be a chemoattractant of pre-aggregation cells of Dictyostelium discoideum. When supplied in pulses, folic acid induces biochemical oscillations and stimulates the development of pre-aggregation to aggregation-competent amoebae. The continuous supply of folic acid has no stimulatory effect. Folic-acid-induced oscillations are accompanied by periodic changes in the cyclic AMP concentration. Pulses of folic acid applied with rhythms between 7 and 11 min efficiently induce oscillations. In contrast, a rhythm of 2 min neither induces oscillations nor suppresses them. Cells start to oscillate with a rhythm of about 8 min. This inherent rhythm is independent of the inducing rhythm. Oscillating cells are less sensitive to folic acid than pre-oscillating ones. They respond only to high concentrations of folic acid which also interact with the oscillating system.
mesh_terms: D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009235:Myxomycetes / Q000254:growth & development*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid; D000242:Cyclic AMP