Near-wall rheotaxis of the ciliate <i>Tetrahymena</i> induced by the kinesthetic sensing of cilia.

Abstract

To survive in harsh environments, single-celled microorganisms autonomously respond to external stimuli, such as light, heat, and flow. Here, we elucidate the flow response of <i>Tetrahymena,</i> a well-known single-celled freshwater microorganism. <i>Tetrahymena</i> moves upstream against an external flow via a behavior called rheotaxis. While micrometer-sized particles are swept away downstream in a viscous flow, what dynamics underlie the rheotaxis of the ciliate? Our experiments reveal that <i>Tetrahymena</i> slides along walls during upstream movement, which indicates that the cells receive rotational torque from shear flow to control cell orientation. To evaluate the effects of the shear torque and propelling speed, we perform a numerical simulation with a hydrodynamic model swimmer adopting cilia dynamics in a shear flow. The swimmer orientations converge to an upstream alignment, and the swimmer slides upstream along a boundary wall. The results suggest that <i>Tetrahymena</i> automatically responds to shear flow by performing rheotaxis using cilia-stalling mechanics.