Diffusing wave paradox of phototactic particles in traveling light pulses.

ABSTRACT: Cells navigate through complex surroundings by following cues from their environment. A prominent example is Dictyostelium, which is directed by chemotaxis towards regions with higher concentrations. In the presence of traveling chemical waves, however, amoebae migrate counter to the running wave. Such behavior, referred to as diffusing wave paradox, suggests the existence of adaptation and directional memory. Here we experimentally investigate the response of phototactic self-propelled microparticles to traveling light-pulses. Despite their entirely memory-less (i.e., strictly local) response to the environment, we observe the same phenomenological behavior, i.e., particle motion counter to the pulse direction. Our findings are supported by a minimal model which considers active particle

SUBMITTER: Lozano C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6555803 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature