Gene

Cell biology

Philosophy

Ecology

Neuroscience

Biology

Pattern formation

Simple (philosophy)

Evolutionary biology

Cognitive science

Genetics

Self-organization

Psychology

Epistemology

Developmental biology

Biological system

Morphogenesis

Developmental Cell

Self-organization is pervasive in development, from symmetry breaking in the early embryo to tissue patterning and morphogenesis. For a few model systems, the underlying molecular and cellular processes are now sufficiently characterized that mathematical models can be confronted with experiments, to explore the dynamics of pattern formation. Here, we review selected systems, ranging from cyanobacteria to mammals, where different forms of cell-cell communication, acting alone or together with positional cues, drive the patterning of cell fates, highlighting the insights that even very simple models can provide as well as the challenges on the path to a predictive understanding of development.

Self-Organization in Pattern Formation