Near-wall rheotaxis of the ciliate Tetrahymena induced by the kinesthetic sensing of cilia.

ABSTRACT: To survive in harsh environments, single-celled microorganisms autonomously respond to external stimuli, such as light, heat, and flow. Here, we elucidate the flow response of Tetrahymena, a well-known single-celled freshwater microorganism. Tetrahymena moves upstream against an external flow via a behavior called rheotaxis. While micrometer-sized particles are swept away downstream in a viscous flow, what dynamics underlie the rheotaxis of the ciliate? Our experiments reveal that Tetrahymena slides along walls during upstream movement, which indicates that the cells receive rotational torque from shear flow to control cell orientation. To evaluate the effects of the shear torque and propelling speed, we perform a numerical simulation with a hydrodynamic model swimmer

SUBMITTER: Ohmura T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8528427 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature