Abstract: We will discuss the mechanical bases of cellular motility by swimming and crawling.
The photo, courtesy of A. Beran (OGS, Trieste), shows some Euglenids exhibiting "metaboly", a type of motion for which we have recently proposed a model.
Starting from observations of biological self-propulsion, we will analyze the geometric structure underlying motility at small scales,the swimming strategies available to microscopic swimmers, and recipes to optimize their strokes.
The lessons learned in the context of swimming motility will be then applied in the context of motility by crawling.
Our point of view is inspired by Geometric Control Theory. Implications for the design of engineered bio-inspired devices will be discussed.