title: Quantitative analysis of cyclic AMP waves mediating aggregation in Dictyostelium discoideum.
abstract: We have previously reported the detection of cAMP waves within monolayers of aggregating Dictyostelium discoideum cells (K. J. Tomchik and P.N. Devreotes, 1981, Science 212, 443-446). The computer-assisted analysis presented here of the fluorographic images of the cAMP waves reveals (1) all the waves have a consistent width and height; (2) cAMP concentrations within centers of concentric aggregation territories oscillate periodically while at spiral centers the concentration builds up to a plateau value within 2 mm; (3) cells within the region of intersection of two oppositely directed cAMP waves are stimulated to produce more cAMP than those responding to a single wave; (4) cells start to move when the cAMP level begins to increase and cease movement when the peak cAMP concentration reaches the cell.
mesh_terms: D003201:Computers; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005470:Fluorometry; D009068:Movement
chemical_list: D000242:Cyclic AMP