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Geometric order and movement patterns in embryonic epithelia: informing controversy using theory and computation
Mathematical Biology| Speaker: | Tim Newman, Arizona State University |
| Location: | 2112 MSB |
| Start time: | Mon, Apr 26 2010, 3:10PM |
Description
Embryonic development remains one of the most fascinating
and yet poorly understood areas of biology. I will describe two
recent examples of quantitative experimental measurements, both
pertaining to embryonic epithelial tissues, which have been the
subject of some controversy. The first is the apparent universality
of cell neighbor statistics. The second concerns the mechanisms
underlying the fundamental process of primitive streak formation in
the avian embryo (which is also directly relevant to early human
development). My group has been applying theoretical and
computational tools to both examples. Whether our results have
inflamed or resolved the controversies remains to be seen.
Encouraging is the fruit borne from a tight-knit connection between
theoretical biological physics and experimental biology.