title: Simulation of Paramecium Chemotaxis Exposed to Calcium Gradients.
abstract: Paramecium or other ciliates have the potential to be utilized for minimally invasive surgery systems, making internal body organs accessible. Paramecium shows interesting responses to changes in the concentration of specific ions such as K(+), Mg(2+), and Ca(2+) in the ambient fluid. Some specific responses are observed as, changes in beat pattern of cilia and swimming toward or apart from the ion source. Therefore developing a model for chemotactic motility of small organisms is necessary in order to control the directional movements of these microorganisms before testing them. In this article, we have developed a numerical model, investigating the effects of Ca(2+) on swimming trajectory of Paramecium. Results for Ca(2+)-dependent chemotactic motility show that calcium gradients are efficient actuators for controlling the Paramecium swimming trajectory. After applying a very low Ca(2+) gradient, a directional chemotaxis of swimming Paramecium is observable in this model. As a result, chemotaxis is shown to be an efficient method for controlling the propulsion of these small organisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Sarvestani
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. shamloo@sharif.edu.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shamloo
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. ahmadian@sharif.edu.
authors.forename: Mohammad Taghi
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ahmadian
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D010247:Paramecium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium
keywords: Chemotaxis; Low reynolds flow regimes; Micro swimming; Minimally invasive