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Eukaryotic swimming cells are shaped by hydrodynamic constraints

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 December 2023

Maciej Lisicki Open the ORCID record for Maciej Lisicki [Opens in a new window] ,
Marcos F. Velho Rodrigues Open the ORCID record for Marcos F. Velho Rodrigues [Opens in a new window]  and
Eric Lauga Open the ORCID record for Eric Lauga [Opens in a new window]
Maciej Lisicki*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
Marcos F. Velho Rodrigues*
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK
Eric Lauga*
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK
*
†Email addresses for correspondence: mklis@fuw.edu.pl, e.lauga@damtp.cam.ac.uk
‡These authors contributed equally to this work.
†Email addresses for correspondence: mklis@fuw.edu.pl, e.lauga@damtp.cam.ac.uk
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Abstract

Eukaryotic swimming cells such as spermatozoa, algae or protozoa use flagella or cilia to move in viscous fluids. The motion of their flexible appendages in the surrounding fluid induces propulsive forces that balance viscous drag on the cells and lead to a directed swimming motion. Here, we use our recently built database of cell motility (BOSO-Micro) to investigate the extent to which the shapes of eukaryotic swimming cells may be optimal from a hydrodynamic standpoint. We first examine the morphology of flexible flagella undergoing waving deformation and show that their amplitude-to-wavelength ratio is near that predicted theoretically to optimise the propulsive efficiency of active filaments. Next, we consider ciliates, for which locomotion is induced by the collective beating of short cilia covering their surface. We show that the aspect ratios of ciliates are close to that predicted to minimise the viscous drag of the cell body. Both results strongly suggest a key role played by hydrodynamic constraints, in particular viscous drag, in shaping eukaryotic swimming cells.

JFM classification

Biological Fluid Dynamics: Micro-organism dynamics Biological Fluid Dynamics: Swimming/flying
Type
JFM Rapids
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 978 , 10 January 2024 , R1
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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