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Published in:
2012 | OriginalPaper | Chapter
Theoretical and Experimental Investigations of Amoeboid Movement and First Steps of Technical Realisation
Authors : Wolfgang Alt, Valter Böhm, Tobias Kaufhold, Elka Lobutova, Christian Resagk, Danja Voges, Klaus Zimmermann
Published in: Nature-Inspired Fluid Mechanics
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
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We report about the investigation of the amoeboid locomotion at
Amoeba proteus
. Based on the detailed experimental study of the internal cytoplasm flow and the variation of the contour of the amoeba with optical flow measurement techniques like particle image velocimetry (PIV) we found characteristic velocity fields and motions of the center of mass. Furthermore a peripheral cell model is developed, in which a contractile backward flow of actin-myosin in the cortex stabilizes cell polarity and locomotion by inducing more protrusions in the front and stronger retraction in the rear. The results from the experimental and theoretical study were used to realise prototypes of locomotion systems, composed of silicon elastomer body with controlled elasticity and driven by a magnetic system, based on amoeboid motion principles.