Experimental and mathematical analyses of biological pattern formation

本研究对斑马鱼皮纹形成机理进行了初步探索，得到了以下结果：1）阐明了色素细胞间相互作用的网络; 2）建立在网络上的计算机模拟准确再现了斑马鱼皮纹形成的过程; 3）鉴定了引起突变的相关基因; 4）克隆了K通道和缝隙连接基因。通过对转基因鱼进行基因改造，发现转基因鱼的模式发生了不同程度的变化，表明基因是模式形成的核心因素。6）离子通道和小分子在模式形成中起着关键作用。由此，我们接近于阐明色素图案形成的机理。

The following results were obtained for Zebra fish's skin pattern formation mechanism.1) The network of the interaction among the pigment cells was clarified.2) The computational simulation that built in the network reproduced the process of skin pattern formation accurately.3) The responsible genes for the mutants were identified4) The cloned genes were K channel and a gap junction.5) By making the transgenics fish with the genes or modified ones, the pattern was changed in many different way, suggesting that the genes were core factors of the pattern formation.6) The ion channels and the small molecules play the key rolein the pattern formation. From above, we have come close to the clarification of the mechanism of pigment pattern formation.