Turing's next steps: the mechanochemical basis of morphogenesis

Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2011 Jun;12(6):392-8. doi: 10.1038/nrm3120.

Abstract

Nearly 60 years ago, Alan Turing showed theoretically how two chemical species, termed morphogens, diffusing and reacting with each other can generate spatial patterns. Diffusion plays a crucial part in transporting chemical signals through space to establish the length scale of the pattern. When coupled to chemical reactions, mechanical processes - forces and flows generated by motor proteins - can also define length scales and provide a mechanochemical basis for morphogenesis. forces and flows generated by motor proteins - can also define length scales and provide a mechanochemical basis for morphogenesis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation*
  • Diffusion
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Motor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Morphogenesis*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Molecular Motor Proteins