Integument Pattern Formation Involves Genetic and Epigenetic Controls: Feather Arrays Simulated by Digital Hormone Models
January 2004
in “
The International journal of developmental biology
”
TLDR Feather patterns form through genetic and epigenetic controls, with cells self-organizing into periodic patterns.
The study concluded that integument pattern formation, such as feather arrays, involved both genetic and epigenetic controls. Genetic control provided the molecular information necessary for cell properties, while epigenetic control governed cell interactions and their environment based on physical-chemical rules. The research utilized a Digital Hormone Model (DHM) to simulate self-organization phenomena in feather patterning, demonstrating how cells dynamically interact and form patterns through hormone reaction, diffusion, and dissipation. This model also aimed to aid in developing reconfigurable robots.
