Motility, multicellularity and multiciliates

Clowe, Matthew (2023). Motility, multicellularity and multiciliates. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Motility plays a vital role in life for many cells and organisms. However, motility at the microscale is quite different to at the macroscale. Therefore, microscopic cells and organisms have developed multiple methods to navigate this problem, often using long thin appendages known as flagella. These organisms are known as microswimmers, some of which will be the focus of this thesis. Specifically, we study microswimmers that are either multicellular or multiciliate, since little work for these have been done previously using accurate models with full flagella.

We first study this by considering the pumping of cilia over a plane using prescribed beat kinematics. This will allow us to study optimal metachronal waves in terms of the flux they produce. We then go on to study the fluid structure interaction between cilia using a bead and spring type model. Using this we will look to study how the cilia coordinate with each other and form into different types of beat patterns such as metachronal waves.

Following this, we will move on to study the swimming behaviour of complex swimmers using prescribed beat kinematics. We mostly focus these results on the Volvocine green algae. Some of the swimmers that we study have complex shapes. To model the body of these swimmers we will make use of level sets and use a Nearest Neighbour Regularised Stokeslet method to study their swimming behaviour. This model will then be used as part of an app that we will build that will be able to simply create swimmer models. We will then look to combine our previous work and study the fluid structure interaction using a bead and spring model for full swimmers. This will help us to understand how flagella interact and coordinate with each other over complex shaped bodies.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):