Dictyostelium Discoideum

Dictyostelium discoideum is a species of soil-living amoeba belonging to the phylum Mycetozoa. Commonly referred to as slime mold, D. discoideum is a eukaryote that transitions from a collection of unicellular amoebae into a multicellular slug and then into a fruiting body within its lifetime. D. discoideum has a unique asexual lifecycle that consists of four stages: vegetative, aggregation, migration, and culmination. The life cycle of D. discoideum is relatively short, which allows for timely viewing of all life stages. The cells involved in the life cycle undergo movement, chemical signaling, and development, which are applicable to human cancer research. The simplicity of its life cycle makes D. discoideum a valuable model organism to study genetic, cellular, and biochemical processes in other organisms.

Read more about Dictyostelium Discoideum:  Natural Habitat and Diet, Life Cycle and Reproduction, Use As A Model Organism, "Farming", Current Applications in Research, Classification and Phylogeny, Genome