Geometrical models of the renewal of the epidermis.
We give a review of the different models developed recently that describe the renewal of the epidermis. These models, based on concepts borrowed from statistical mechanics, geometry and topology, shed new light on the understanding of the organization and the dynamics of the system. We discuss in detail a topological model of the dynamics of the inner-most layer of the epidermis: the basal layer.
Dubertret
B
B
Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021, USA. benoit@pollux.rockefeller.edu
Rivier
N
N
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological