Quantifying Diffusion Coefficient of Flagella-driven Cellular Motility

Abstract

Cilia and flagella play a very important role in maintaining the human body to function properly. Dysfunctioning of cilia impairs the functioning of many human systems, examples include heart, brain, and respiratory system. Though biology of cilia has been under research for a long time, biophysical properties of them are not yet clear. The structure of green algae Chlamydomonas flagella is very similar to human cilia. The viscosity of medium Chlamydomonas are cultured do affect their cellular diffusion and the movement of their flagella. To test it, light scattering based particle imaging techniques in combination with Matlab applications are used to measure their speed. Culture media of 1cp, 4cp, 10cp, 25cp, and 100cp are made and cells are allowed to cultivate in them. The movement of Chlamydomonas is recorded with the help of laser microscope and digital camera. The recorded videos are then analyzed, closely tracking the path of green algae. The results found are that Chlamydomonas reinhardtii move fast in 1cp, while are barely moving in 100cp medium, which is in accordance with our hypothesis.