Morpheus

Author: Lutz Brusch

Aim:

• Introduce self-organized pattern formation (Turing patterns)
• Show the potential of qualitative/theoretical modeling

Description:

• Activator-Inhibitor models
• Theoretical introduction on Turing patterns (1951)
• Self-organized organizer
• large system size = periodic pattern
• change inhibitor diffusion and observe changing pattern wavelength
• half-wavelength system size and no flux bc. = spontaneous symmetry break of homogeneous init.cond. with max and min at opposite boundaries
• Fish coat pattern: Miyazawa et al.
• Trigger discussion:
  • Parameters and variables do no longer correspond to molecules anymore
  • What is the explanatory power of ‘blending model’?
  • Bottom-up, top-down, middle-out

Paper:

• Miyazawa, Okamoto and Kondo, Blending of animal colour patterns by hybridization, Nature Communications, 2010. link

Morpheus models:

• Activator-Inhibitor: reaction-diffusion in one dimension
• Turing patterns: spatial parameter exploration