Minimal model of a cell connecting amoebic motion and adaptive transport networks

Abstract

A cell is a minimal self-sustaining system that can move and compute. Previous work has shown that a unicellular slime mold, Physarum, can be utilized as a biological computer based on cytoplasmic flow encapsulated by a membrane. Although the interplay between the modification of the boundary of a cell and the cytoplasmic flow surrounded by the boundary plays a key role in Physarum computing, no model of a cell has been developed to describe this interplay. Here we propose a toy model of a cell that shows amoebic motion and can solve a maze, Steiner minimum tree problem and a spanning tree problem. Only by assuming that cytoplasm is hardened after passing external matter (or softened part) through a cell, the shape of the cell and the cytoplasmic flow can be changed. Without cytoplasm hardening, a cell is easily destroyed. This suggests that cytoplasmic hardening and/or sol-gel transformation caused by external perturbation can keep a cell in a critical state leading to a wide variety of shapes and motion.

Influences on the formation and evolution of Physarum polycephalum inspired emergent transport networks

“…By beginning with a complete network this method, although successful in generating impressive solutions to network problems, sidesteps the issue of initial network formation. Gunji et al (2008) introduced a cellular automaton (CA) model which considered both plasmodial growth and amoeboid movement. Their model placed importance on the transformation of hardness/softness at the membrane and the internal transport of material from the membrane resulting in movement and network adaptation.…”

Characteristics of Pattern Formation and Evolution in Approximations of Physarum Transport Networks

“…Gunji et al introduced a cellular automaton (CA) model that considered both plasmodial growth and amoeboid movement [19]. Their model placed importance on the transformation between hardness and softness at the membrane and the internal transport of material from the membrane, resulting in movement and network adaptation.…”

A Physarum-inspired approach to supply chain network design

“…This is time consuming. Cellular automaton models of the slime mould's foraging behaviour were proposed in [60,61]. Cellular automata are efficient in term of spatial and temporal complexity: the number of cell/node state are finite, typically less than a dozen, and size of a lattice usually does not exceed 500×500.…”