Lanijah Flagg
“Coupled and Single Inhibitory Oscillations of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky Reaction”
Lanijah Flagg, Ian Hunter
Hampton University / Physics
Hosted by Fraden's Lab
Abstract
It is not fully understood how neuronal network patterns are formed by the communication between neurons. Understanding these patterns could fuel research of neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, caused by irregular network firing patterns. We know that neurons spike in a cyclic pattern with a refractory period between each spike. Much like neurons, the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction oscillates between spiking, visible as a change in light, and a refractory period. Studying networks of the BZ reaction will give insight to patterns of neuronal networks and, consequentially, how to cure neurological disorders.
In this series of experiments, we studied the behavior of the BZ in single reactors and in coupled pairs of reactors. This chemical oscillator was observed in networks of microfluidic cells that were separated by semi-permeable membranes. The membranes allow for bromine to diffuse from one cell of BZ to another, causing inhibitory coupling. Inhibitory coupling is when the oscillation of one cell perturbs the oscillation of its neighboring cells. Using the diffusion of bromine, we build systems in which pairs of reactors couple. To keep these systems of single or coupled pairs of cells from interacting with surrounding cells, we use light inhibition to turn off those surrounding cells, creating boundaries between the isolated elements.
Preliminary results show that for single BZ cells, periods of oscillation are the same with little deviation. In coupled pairs experiments, the results also show that paired reactors have stronger coupling when placed in smaller microfluidic cells which is in agreement with theory. In the future, we will use the patterns observed in single cell and coupled pairs cell experiments to understand larger networks of BZ oscillators.
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