The Glossary
Zero assumed knowledge. Every technical term used in our guides, explained in plain English (with the high-authority science to back it up).
Actin & Myosin
Contractile proteins located in the ectoplasm (the vein walls) that generate the force needed for cytoplasmic streaming.
Aphanoplasmodium
A thinner, transparent, and less organized plasmodium found in the order Stemonitales. It is often nearly invisible until it reaches the fruiting stage.
Closed Mitosis
A type of cell division where the nuclear membrane remains intact throughout the entire process. This keeps the DNA organized within the giant syncytium.
Diploid
A cell containing two sets of chromosomes. The plasmodium and sclerotium stages are diploid, having formed from the fusion of two haploid gametes.
Haploid
A cell containing a single set of chromosomes. In slime molds, this includes spores, myxamoebae, and swarm cells.
Myxamoebae
Small, haploid, amoeba-like cells that emerge from a germinating spore. They can divide and eventually fuse to create a new zygote.
Phaneroplasmodium
The large, visible, reticulated network typical of species like Physarum. It has a clearly defined front and back.
Plasmodium
The main vegetative stage of a slime mold. It is a single, giant, multinucleated cell that can grow to several square meters in size.
Sclerotium
A hard, dormant state that the slime mold enters when conditions are unfavorable (dry, cold, or lack of food). It can survive in this state for years.
Shuttle Streaming
Also known as cyclosis. The rhythmic, back-and-forth flow of cytoplasm within the veins of the plasmodium, occurring every 60-90 seconds.
Sporangium
The fruiting body that produces and holds the spores. These are often the most colorful and diverse structures in the slime mold life cycle.
Swarm Cells
A version of myxamoebae that possess flagella (tails) allowing them to swim in wet environments. They can transform back into amoebae if the water dries up.
Syncytium
A biological structure where multiple nuclei are contained within a single shared cytoplasm without cell walls separating them.
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Our scientists are constantly updating this list as new research from the CNRS and Hokkaido University is released.
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