A comprehensive survey of developmental programs reveals a dearth of tree-like lineage graphs and ubiquitous regeneration.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Multicellular organisms are characterized by a wide diversity of forms and complexity despite a restricted set of key molecules and mechanisms at the base of organismal development. Development combines three basic processes-asymmetric cell division, signaling, and gene regulation-in a multitude of ways to create this overwhelming diversity of multicellular life forms. Here, we use a generative model to test the limits to which such processes can be combined to generate multiple differentiation paths during development, and attempt to chart the diversity of multicellular organisms generated.

Results

We sample millions of biologically feasible developmental schemes, allowing us to comment on the statistical properties of cell differentiation trajectories they produ

SUBMITTER: Mani S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8140435 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature