Pattern formation in biology by reaction-diffusion systems

Statistical Physics and Complexity Group meeting

Pattern formation in biology by reaction-diffusion systems

  • Event time: 11:30am
  • Event date: 14th November 2012
  • Speaker: Philip Greulich (Formerly School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
  • Location: Room 2511,

Event details

Higher organisms are characterised by a well-defined spatial structure of different tissue types. But how can such tissue patterns be formed in a (genetically) controlled way, starting from a homogeneous clump of cells? The information for cells to specialise and form different tissue types (differentiation) is carried and mediated by certain chemical messengers, called morphogens. In this seminar I will show how diffusion and interactions between morphogens ("reaction-diffusion systems") can lead to well-defined, spatially inhomogeneous, morphogen distributions that determine the spatial organisation of tissues by controlling cell differentiation. Importantly, this gives a hint how spatial information can be encoded in the genome.