title: A mathematical model of cleavage.
abstract: In the present paper, we propose a mathematical model of cleavage. Cleavage is a process during the early stages of development in which the fertile egg undergoes repeated division keeping the cluster size almost constant. During the cleavage process individual cells repeat cell division in an orderly manner to form a blastula, however, the mechanism which achieves such a coordination is still not very clear. In the present research, we took sea urchin as an example and focused on the diffusion of chemical substances from the animal and vegetal pole. By considering chemotactic motion of the centrosomes, we constructed a mathematical model that describes the processes in the early stages of cleavage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan. d072113@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tero
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000502:physiology; D018385:Centrosome / Q000502:physiology; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000196:embryology*