A mathematical model for adaptive transport network in path finding by true slime mold

Tero Atsushi

Kobayashi Ryo

Nakagaki Toshiyuki

Journal of Theoretical Biology

We describe here a mathematical model of the adaptive dynamics of a transport network of the true slime mold Physarum polycephalum, an amoeboid organism that exhibits path-finding behavior in a maze. This organism possesses a network of tubular elements, by means of which nutrients and signals circulate through the plasmodium. When the organism is put in a maze, the network changes its shape to connect two exits by the shortest path. This process of path-finding is attributed to an underlying physiological mechanism: a tube thickens as the flux through it increases. The experimental evidence for this is, however, only qualitative. We constructed a mathematical model of the general form of the tube dynamics. Our model contains a key parameter corresponding to the extent of the feedback regulation between the thickness of a tube and the flux through it. We demonstrate the dependence of the behavior of the model on this parameter.

Physarum polycephalum

mathematical modeling

natural adaptive networks

Biology [ 460 ]

eng

Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science

Copyright (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd

[ISSN] 0022-5193

[DOI] 10.1016/j.jtbi.2006.07.015

[NCID] AA00708258

[DOI] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2006.07.015