Cell signaling/spiral waves in Dictyostelium

A lawn of starved Dictyostelium cells is imaged using phase contrast microscopy. Cells signal via spiral waves of cAMP, and population territories form with a fruiting body in the center of each. To visualize the spirals, use has been made of the fact that when the cells experience a high concentration of cAMP surrounding them, they elongate (called polarization). When that happens the optical density of the cells changes which can be captured by the specific type of microscopy used.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• biophysics
• amoeba
• dictyostelium
• microscopy

[tglab]

Thanks! Please see updated video caption.

[TiagoTiagoT]

why is it in spiral instead of growing circles?

[Chondrichthyan]

Amazing. How did you make the cAMP waves visible? I've only seen the waves on plates with the BZ reaction?