Transient synchronisation in yeast cell populations of intermediate density
Andre Weber, Werner Zuschratter, Marcus J. B. Hauser
The mechanism of the transition between synchronised and
desynchronised behaviour of intact yeast cells of the strain
Saccharomyces carlsbergenis was investigated. At cell colonies
of intermediate cell density, all cells remain oscillatory, in
addition a partially synchronised and a desynchronised state are
accessible for experimental studies. In the synchronised state,
the mean oscillatory frequency is shorter than that of the cells
in a desynchronised state, showing phase advancement. The cells do
not synchronise completely, as the distribution of the oscillatory
frequencies only narrows but do not collapse to a single
frequency. The desynchronisation is characterised by a broadening
of the distribution of cell frequencies. Chimera states could not
be observed.