Abstract
Cellular differentiation in a developing organism is studied via a discrete bistable reaction-diffusion model. A system of undifferentiated cells is allowed to receive an inductive signal emanating from its environment. Depending on the form of the nonlinear reaction kinetics, this signal can trigger a series of bifurcations in the system. Differentiation starts at the surface where the signal is received and either cells change type up to a given distance or, under other conditions, the differentiation process propagates throughout the whole domain. When the signal diminishes, hysteresis is observed.
- Received 6 May 1999
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.60.4604
©1999 American Physical Society