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CELL MOTILITY

Peculiar polygonal paths

Nature Physics volume 14, pages 1161–1162 (2018)Cite this article

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Many microorganisms use light-sensitive receptors to migrate. A case in point is the microalga Euglena gracilis, which avoids light intensity increases by swimming in polygonal trajectories — providing an elegant solution to navigational challenges.

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Fig. 1: The single-celled, phototactic microalga Euglena gracilis swims in striking polygonal patterns in response to a sharp change in light intensity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA

    Nicolas Waisbord & Jeffrey S. Guasto

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  1. Nicolas Waisbord
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  2. Jeffrey S. Guasto
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Correspondence to Jeffrey S. Guasto.

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Waisbord, N., Guasto, J.S. Peculiar polygonal paths. Nature Phys 14, 1161–1162 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-018-0320-8

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