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Directed cell migration is a versatile mechanism for rapid developmental pattern formation

Yu, C.; Mederacke, M.; Vetter, R.; Iber, D.

2025-07-29 developmental biology
10.1101/2025.07.24.666657 bioRxiv
Show abstract

The evolution of multicellular organisms hinges on self-organization mechanisms that generate tissues with diverse functions. A central process is the breaking of symmetry to form spatial patterns from initially uniform conditions. Among the various mechanisms proposed, directed cell migration--driven by chemotaxis, durotaxis, differential adhesion or other processes--offers a compelling strategy to organize tissues rapidly and robustly. Here, we unify these concepts into a general mathematical framework and show that it can produce diverse spatial patterns across one-, two-, and three-dimensional domains. Using numerical simulations and stability theory, we characterize the emergence, geometry, and formation speed of these patterns. Our findings provide a mechanistic understanding of morphogenesis beyond the traditional chemical or mechanical patterning paradigms and offer a quantitative foundation to guide pattern formation in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Published in Newton · not in our set (fewer than 10 published preprints to learn from) · training set

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