Metachronal waves in the flagellar beating of Volvox and their hydrodynamic origin.

ABSTRACT: Groups of eukaryotic cilia and flagella are capable of coordinating their beating over large scales, routinely exhibiting collective dynamics in the form of metachronal waves. The origin of this behavior--possibly influenced by both mechanical interactions and direct biological regulation--is poorly understood, in large part due to a lack of quantitative experimental studies. Here we characterize in detail flagellar coordination on the surface of the multicellular alga Volvox carteri, an emerging model organism for flagellar dynamics. Our studies reveal for the first time that the average metachronal coordination observed is punctuated by periodic phase defects during which synchrony is partial and limited to specific groups of cells. A minimal model of hydrodynamically coupled oscillators

SUBMITTER: Brumley DR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4528573 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature