Domain formation on curved membranes: phase separation or Turing patterns?
Domain formation on curved membranes: phase separation or Turing patterns?
复制标题
弯曲膜上的域形成：相分离或图灵模式？
DOI：
10.1039/c3sm50650a
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发表时间：
2013
期刊：
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
Orlandini E
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Orlandini E
我们通过计算机模拟研究表面域形成的物理原理，作为生物膜上图案形成的模型。我们将二元混合物的简单相分离模型预测的动力学与通过保守的类图灵反应扩散模型获得的动力学进行了比较。两种类型的模型都被提议作为理解生物系统中域形成的框架。我们的主要结果是，通过分析在用许多潜在的模式形成核初始化系统时设置的竞争动态，可以对模型进行定性区分。我们的模拟还表明，稳态域的位置并不是由曲率唯一确定的。这种曲率依赖性的缺乏可能在生物学上是有利的，因为它将图案的形成与细胞膜的力学和形态分开。我们希望我们的研究能够促进细胞模式形成的进一步实验工作，特别是与细胞极化问题相关的实验。
We study by computer simulations the physics of domain formation on surfaces, as a model for pattern formation on biological membranes. We compare the dynamics predicted by a simple phase separation model for a binary mixture, with that obtained through a conserved Turing-like reaction–diffusion model. Both types of models have been proposed as frameworks for understanding the formation of domains in biological systems. Our main result is that the models can be qualitatively distinguished by analysing the competition dynamics which is set when initialising the system with a number of potential pattern-forming nuclei. Our simulations also suggest that the location of the steady state domains is not uniquely determined by the curvature. This lack of curvature dependence might be advantageous biologically, as it disentangles pattern formation from the mechanics and morphology of the cell membranes. We hope our study will stimulate further experimental work on pattern formation in cells, especially in relation to the cell polarisation problem.