Slime molds are not real molds. They are protists! The slime mold portrayed in this video (Physarum) is composed of a single giant cell. . The slime mold Physarum moves in response to environmental cues such as when it senses the presence of food. When Physarum moves, it does so by changing the direction and speed of cytoplasmic streaming. . When moving towards, for example, a food source, Physarum will increase cytoplasmic streaming towards the leading edge of the cell, causing the cell to extend in that direction. . The cytoplasmic streaming movement is driven by actin and myosin filaments, which can contract and relax in response to stimuli. . Cytoplasmic streaming creates a rhythmical pulsating movement that feels as if the organism is breathing. This is because the actin and myosin filaments are constantly contracting and relaxing, which causes the cytoplasm to flow in the forward direction and then in the reverse direction. . The way this organism moves is absolutely mesmerizing. Slime molds are incredible creatures. . I recorded the pulsating movement of the slime mold using a time lapse camera. . For this video I used an Olympus CX31 microscope at 40X and 100X magnification. #microscopy #microscope #microscopio #microscopia #Physarum #cytoplasmicstreaming #protista #slimemold #physarumpolycephalum #movement #actin #myosin #drbioforever