Patterning via differential activity

Invited

Abstract

It is well known that soft dispersed and condensed phases can be patterned due to variations in some property X, where X = size, shape, adhesion, diffusion, growth, erosion, deposition, activity etc. I will discuss the last of these using two examples of differential-activity-driven patterning in biological systems:
1. A general framework that characterizes how binary mixtures e.g. a poroelastic or viscoelastic network, can phase-segregate due to differential activity.
2. A specific problem of limb patterning that seeks to understand the patterns of digitiation seen in vertebrates: horses have a single digit, pigs have 2 digits, chicks have 3 fore-digits (and 4 hind-digits), we have 5 digits, and fish have many.

Presenters

  • L Mahadevan

    Harvard University, SEAS, Harvard University, Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard, John A. Paulson School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, Harvard University, SEAS, Harvard, SEAS, Physics, OEB, Harvard University

Authors

  • L Mahadevan

    Harvard University, SEAS, Harvard University, Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard, John A. Paulson School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, Harvard University, SEAS, Harvard, SEAS, Physics, OEB, Harvard University