How chemical interactions create the intricate patterns of life
Explore the mathematical foundations of biological design. This lecture examines how interacting chemicals, known as morphogens, diffuse and react to spontaneously generate complex patterns across different biological surfaces.
In this third lecture of a series, Ruth Baker explores reaction-diffusion models, a framework pioneered by Alan Turing to describe pattern formation. The models rely on the interaction of two or more chemicals that move through space and react with one another.
The presentation focuses on the analytical methods used to determine the specific conditions necessary for patterns to emerge. It also investigates how the geometry of a domain—specifically its size and shape—influences the resulting biological patterns.
Source: Mathematical Biology: Pattern formation in biology, lecture 3 - Oxford Mathematics 3rd Yr Lecture
