The plasmodium of the slime mould Physarum polycephalum forms a
plasmodium consists of a single, multinucleate giant amoeboid cell. This
syncytium forms a two-dimensional vein network which extends in search
of food. In the veins the protoplasm is transported periodically back and
forth by peristaltic pumping. Protoplasmic droplets can be obtained
by puncturing a vein of the plasmodium and extracting protoplasm. Within
a few seconds the protoplasmic droplet forms a new cell membrane, and the
droplet begins to reorganize itself to a new cell. The reorganization is
accompanied by a series of oscillations, which are monitored and analyzed
by Karhunen-Loève decomposition of the oscillatory modes. Some of
these modes are linked to functional behaviour.
