If A Slime Mold Isn’t A Mold - What Is It?

Slime molds are interesting little creatures of earth with very simple structures and life processes, although not everything about their simple existence is understood scientifically.

Orange slime mold blobs are not uncommon to see, especially in forests where they feed on decaying leaf and plant matter and rotting wood. Many of us have probably seen slime molds and never paid them any heed, let alone consider them as the moving, half-animal, half-plant organisms that they are. You see, the name slime ”mold” is something of a misnomer. Slime molds are not fungi, and molds are. Slime molds were once thought to be fungi, but are now most commonly accepted as protists.

There are three types of slime molds, but two are more popularly recognized.

The first type of slime mold is plasmodial slime molds. Plasmodial slime molds make up one large cell, but with more than one nucleus, Thousands in fact. Individual cells come together and fuse into one cell, the nuclei remaining intact in it.

The second type of slime molds is cellular slime molds. For most of their life cycle, cellular slime molds are single-celled. However, at a given point the cellular slime mold amoebas release a chemical that acts as a signal for the single cells to all gather and they form one multi celled organism.

Reproduction of slime molds is through spores, much as in that of true molds, which is what has caused some of the confusion.

One thing people often wonder is how does slime mold move? At first glance, the average person would never guess it does and it seems impossible. This is just one of the questions scientists, who have more of an understanding of how slime molds do move; look to answer, because for such a simple organism, there is some obvious organization to it, including a distinct anterior and posterior end.

Slime molds are of special interest to scientists and researchers. Their large size and multi-cellular function are easily studied in the lab for a variety of applications and insight into the life cycle and function of primitive multi-celled organisms.

The web is full of interesting descriptions about slime molds. Interesting slime mold facts complete with slime mold pictures and slime mold diagrams are easy to find across the web. A diagram of a slime mold makes it a little easier for the less scientifically versed to understand a little about slime molds. A slime mold diagram can be viewed for both the single celled and multicultural phases of the slime mold life cycle.

Slime molds offer some interesting study into what might have been something related to our own very primitive beginnings. Slime molds are a subject of interest sought by curious readers, as well as students and scientists the world around.