title: Origin and function of fluctuations in cell behaviour and the emergence of patterns.
abstract: Morphogenesis is the process whereby cells assemble into tissues and organs. Recent studies of this process have revealed heterogeneity of individual cell behaviours that contrasts with the deterministic activity of tissues as a whole. Here we review these observations and suggest that fluctuations and heterogeneities are a central substrate for morphogenesis and that there might exist mechanisms dedicated to the averaging of these fluctuations to ensure robust and reproducible behaviours at the tissue level.
authors: Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK.
authors: Ana M
authors: AM
authors: Mateus
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Gorfinkiel
authors: Alfonso Martinez
authors: AM
authors: Arias
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016764:Cell Polarity; D048430:Cell Shape; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051153:Wnt Proteins