Articles tagged with Morphogens
Researchers at ISTA used miniature 2D organs and rubbery silicone molds to study morphogen signaling dynamics during spinal cord development. The study found that BMP morphogen signaling gradients emerge quickly, then fade away, only to reappear again, shedding light on the complex process of tissue development.
Scientists create synthetic biology approach to mechanistically study tissue patterning and engineer organoid structures by combining morphogens with cell adhesion control. The model system reveals a key feature of E-cadherin for forming sharp boundaries in synthetic tissue domains.
Researchers from the University of Tokyo have identified the Wnt6 morphogen as a crucial regulator of heart development in vertebrates. The study used mathematical modeling and experiments to understand how Wnt6 morphogen distribution is regulated, with potential implications for drug design and tissue repair.
A multidisciplinary team of scientists from UNIGE and MPIPKS has solved the mystery of how an organ changes its size depending on the size of the animal. They developed a mathematical equation that explains how cells know when to stop growing, using the example of the Paedocypris fish.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered a key control mechanism that allows cells to self-organize in early embryonic development. By studying the expression of unique combinations of adhesion molecules, the team found that these 'adhesion codes' determine which cells prefer to stay connected and how strongly they do so.
Researchers at IRB Barcelona discovered that Dpp and Wg morphogens stimulate growth through independent pathways, regulating organ proportions. The findings have significant implications for understanding malformations and congenital diseases in humans.
A team of researchers at the University of Bristol has demonstrated a new approach to building communities of cell-like entities (protocells) using chemical gradients. The study reveals that waves of differentiation can travel across a population, leading to the emergence of complex and ordered protocell communities.
Scientists have developed a method to grow human embryonic stem cells in culture, mimicking the dynamic range of morphogen concentrations that tell stem cells what type of specialized cell and tissue to become. This breakthrough has potential applications in regenerative medicine, drug testing, and understanding developmental biology.
Researchers at Tufts University have created a computational model that explains how fragments of flatworms determine which end should form a tail and which should form a head. The model predicts the outcomes of genetic, pharmacological, and surgical manipulations, such as worms with two heads or two tails.
Researchers apply biological principles of self-organisation to swarm robotics, enabling robots to grow shapes without predefined plans. The robot swarms adapt to damage and self-repair, making them reliable for real-world applications such as disaster response or temporary structures.
A team of researchers has demonstrated that pure diffusion in a growing tissue is sufficient to explain the formation of a signaling gradient along the leaf proximal-to-distal axis. This finding provides evidence for the viability of the diffusion-based model of morphogen in developmental patterning of multicellular organisms.
The study reveals that morphogens, such as Dpp, are necessary for tissue growth but their concentration gradients do not direct wing growth. The research suggests an alternative mechanism regulates the size of the final wing structure.
Researchers developed a technique using nanobodies to selectively manipulate and analyze the morphogen Dpp in wing development, influencing growth in the center but not periphery. The method holds promise for future studies on organ development and may uncover causes of malformation.
A new study recreates the French-flag model of stripe formation by engineering synthetic gene networks in E. coli. Researchers successfully developed a theoretical framework and a mathematical model to understand how genetic information is translated into specific spatial patterns of cellular differentiation.
Researchers found that engineered bacteria use time as a cue to form predictable ring patterns, contradicting established theories. This discovery has implications for understanding pattern formation in biology and could lead to the creation of biological scaffolds for new materials with energy applications.
Researchers identified a case of spatial and temporal conflict in regulating the ventral neurons defective gene, which must be precisely regulated for proper nervous system specification. The study shows that an additional input from a complementary gradient of the Dpp morphogen solves conflicting temporal and spatial responses.
Researchers have provided experimental evidence confirming Alan Turing's 1950s theory on how biological patterns such as tiger stripes are formed. The study identifies the specific morphogens involved in this process, including FGF and Shh, and demonstrates a mechanism that is widely relevant in vertebrate development.
A new study has identified Dpp and Pentagone as key players in the scaling process of a fruit fly's wing. The research found that the feedback loop between Dpp and Pentagone regulates proportional tissue growth, keeping body proportions constant despite external factors like nutrition and temperature.
Scientists Profs. Naama Barkai and Ben-Zion Shilo have developed a theoretical model explaining how scaling works in developing fruit fly wings, where the vein structure stays proportioned. Their findings suggest that this mechanism can be applied to various examples of development, including human embryonic development.
Researchers have discovered a key ingredient in animal color patterns: a diffusible protein called Wingless. This morphogen prompts cells to make pigment, creating intricate designs like stripes and spots. The study's findings have implications for understanding how animals evolve their color patterns.
Cells in developing tissue consider their history of signaling exposure to determine location, challenging the widely held hypothesis that morphogens are the primary source of positional information. Researchers found that cells require a 'memory' of past exposure to morphogen signals to adopt specific gene expression patterns.
Briscoe's work revealed a novel mechanism that allows cells to integrate time of exposure and concentration of Shh to mount a graded response, leading to a paradigm shift in understanding cell identity specification. His research has far-reaching implications for the control of cell identity in various contexts.
Weizmann Institute scientists have discovered a mechanism that enables an injured embryo to regenerate itself while maintaining the relative proportions of its organs. The research reveals that inhibitor molecules shuttle morphogen between sides of the embryo, keeping organs proportional regardless of size.
Research reveals that tiny biophysical forces play a critical role in tissue formation, enabling cells to migrate and organize into functional structures. The study used computational models and in vitro experiments to demonstrate the importance of slow biophysical flows in establishing morphogen gradients.
Researchers have discovered that morphogen molecules move across cells via diffusion, a finding that could lead to new strategies for treating organ defects and cancers. The study used the fruit fly model to demonstrate how TGF beta family molecules function as morphogens.
A study by Scott Saunders and colleagues suggests that heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) help regulate morphogen gradients, influencing cell development and differentiation. HSPGs may also play a role in the formation of complex bone structures and organs.
Biologists at UCSD observed a protein gradient in developing fruit fly embryos that triggers division into nervous system and epidermis. The findings confirm Alan Turing's hypothesis from the 1950s, providing insights into embryonic development.