Adaptation-induced collective dynamics of a single-cell protozoan.
We investigate the behavior of a single-cell protozoan in a narrow tubular ring. This environment forces them to swim under a one-dimensional periodic boundary condition. Above a critical density, single-cell protozoa aggregate spontaneously without external stimulation. The high-density zone of swimming cells exhibits a characteristic collective dynamics including translation and boundary fluctuation. We analyzed the velocity distribution and turn rate of swimming cells and found that the regulation of the turing rate leads to a stable aggregation and that acceleration of velocity triggers instability of aggregation. These two opposing effects may help to explain the spontaneous dynamics of collective behavior. We also propose a stochastic model for the mechanism underlying the collective behavior of swimming cells.
Ogata
Maiko
M
Department of Physics, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan.
Hondou
Tsuyoshi
T
Hayakawa
Yoshinori
Y
Hayashi
Yoshikatsu
Y
Sugawara
Ken
K
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011157:Population Dynamics; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*