Protoplasmic streaming and the fine structure of slime mold plasmodia

Stewart, Peter A.; Stewart, Babette Taylor

doi:10.1016/0014-4827(59)90018-7

Cited by 25 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…How to make Physarum wires long-lasting? When the slime mould develops a network of protoplasmic tubes spanning sources of nutrients, the cell maintains its integrity by pumping nutrients and metabolites between remote parts of its body via cytoplasmic streaming [50,11,41,28]. The cytoplasmic streaming could be employed for the transportation of bio-compatible substances inside the protoplasmic network.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physarum wires: Self-growing self-repairing smart wires made from slime mould

Adamatzky

2013

Biomed. Eng. Lett.

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We report experimental laboratory studies on developing conductive pathways, or wires, using protoplasmic tubes of plasmodium of acellular slime mould Physarum polycephalum. Given two pins to be connected by a wire, we place a piece of slime mould on one pin and an attractant on another pin. Physarum propagates towards the attract and thus connects the pins with a protoplasmic tube. A protoplasmic tube is conductive, can survive substantial over-voltage and can be used to transfer electrical current to lightning and actuating devices. In experiments we show how to route Physarum wires with chemoattractants and electrical fields. We demonstrate that Physarum wire can be grown on almost bare breadboards and on top of electronic circuits. The Physarum wires can be insulated with a silicon oil without loss of functionality. We show that a Physarum wire self-heals: end of a cut wire merge together and restore the conductive pathway in several hours after being cut. Results presented will be used in future designs of self-growing wetware circuits and devices, and integration of slime mould electronics into unconventional bio-hybrid systems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physarum wires: Self-growing self-repairing smart wires made from slime mould

Adamatzky

2013

Biomed. Eng. Lett.

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“…(9) Pseudopodia and axopodia Stewart & Stewart (1959) examined sections of the pseudopodia of the slime mould Physarum in the electron microscope and (not unexpectedly) failed to detect any fibrillar structures which could account for protoplasmic streaming. The pseudopodia of amoebae are also apparently devoid of fibrillar structures visible in the electron microscope (Mercer, 1959).…”

Section: A V Grimstonementioning

confidence: 99%

Fine Structure and Morphogenesis in Protozoa

Grimstone¹

1961

Biological Reviews

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“…When the slime mould develops a network of protoplasmic tubes spanning sources of nutrients, the cell maintains its integrity by pumping nutrients and metabolites between remote parts of its body via cytoplasmic streaming (Allen et al, 1963;Bykov et al, 2009;Gawlitta et al, 1980;Hulsmann and Wohlfarth-Bottermann, 1978;Newton et al, 1977;Stewart & Stewart, 1959). This cytoplasmic streaming may be manipulated experimentally and employed for the transportation of exogenous bio-compatible substances inside the protoplasmic network: in Adamatzky (2010b) we demonstrated that the plasmodium of P. polycephalum consumes various coloured dyes and distributes them throughout its protoplasmic network.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Internalisation, Intraplasmodial Carriage and Excretion of Metallic Nanoparticles in the Slime Mould, Physarum Polycephalum

Mayne

Patton

Costello

et al. 2011

International Journal of Nanotechnology and Molecular Computation

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The plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum is a large single cell visible with the naked eye. When inoculated on a substrate with attractants and repellents the plasmodium develops optimal networks of protoplasmic tubes which span sites of attractants (i.e. nutrients) yet avoid domains with a high nutrient concentration. It should therefore be possible to program the plasmodium towards deterministic adaptive transformation of internalised nano-and micro-scale materials. In laboratory experiments with magnetite nanoparticles and glass micro-spheres coated with silver metal we demonstrate that the plasmodium of P. polycephalum can propagate the nano-scale objects using a number of distinct mechanisms including endocytosis, transcytosis and dragging. The results of our experiments could be used in the development of novel techniques targeted towards the growth of metallised biological wires and hybrid nano-and micro-circuits.

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Protoplasmic streaming and the fine structure of slime mold plasmodia

Cited by 25 publications

References 11 publications

Physarum wires: Self-growing self-repairing smart wires made from slime mould

Physarum wires: Self-growing self-repairing smart wires made from slime mould

Fine Structure and Morphogenesis in Protozoa

On the Internalisation, Intraplasmodial Carriage and Excretion of Metallic Nanoparticles in the Slime Mould, Physarum Polycephalum

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