Tactic Behaviors in Eukaryotes
In ciliate protozoa, hundreds of cilia can coordinate and self-organize to produce a collective thrust. The ciliary coordinating mechanisms may be used to provide power to microscale actuators and sensors for robotic applications. A eukaryotic ciliate, Tetrahymena pyriformis, has been controlled using galvanotaxis and phototaxis in a low Reynolds number fluidic environment. A cell tracking algorithm demonstrates the controllability of Tetrahymena pyriformis under two types of external stimuli. Electrical stimulation, in the form of a direct current (DC) electric field through the containing fluid, causes a change in swimming direction towards the cathode. Photo-stimulation, by high intensity broadband light, results in a rotational motion of the cells. The motivation of this work is to progress further with biological microfluidic actuators and sensors for use in engineering systems.
Collaborators: Prof. Laszlo Kohidai @ Selmelweis Univeristy
