Electric Pulses Can Influence Galvanotaxis of Dictyostelium discoideum

Figure 5

The waveforms of the chamber and the stimulator, the collective galvanotaxis trajectory, and the analysis of the directedness, trajectory speed, and EMR under 5 Hz bpEF with duty cycle 50%, 80%, and 90%. (a-c) The waveforms of the chamber (blue) and the stimulator (red) for 5 Hz bpEF with duty cycle of 50%, 80%, and 90%. (d) The galvanotactic trajectory of all 240 cells under 5 Hz 50% bpEF showed the cells migrated randomly. (e-f) The galvanotactic trajectory of all 240 cells under 5 Hz bpEF of duty cycle 80% (e) and 90% (f) showed that they migrated towards the “net cathodes”. (g) The cells under electrically neutral 5 Hz 50% bpEF were distinct from those under 80% and 90% bpEFs in directedness. ANOVA on different duty cycle: p < 0.0001. For multiple comparisons, 50% versus 80%: p < 0.0001; 50% versus 90%: p < 0.0001. (h) The cells under electrically neutral 5 Hz 50% bpEF migrated the fastest. ANOVA on different duty cycle: p < 0.0001. For multiple comparisons, 50% versus 80%: p < 0.0001; 50% versus 90%: p < 0.0001. (i) The cells under electrically neutral 5 Hz 50% bpEF were distinct from those under 80% and 90% bpEFs in EMR. ANOVA on different duty cycle: p < 0.0001. For multiple comparisons, 50% versus 80%: p < 0.0001; 50% versus 90%: p < 0.0001. One-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test of multiple comparisons were used.

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