Scaling and regeneration of self-organized patterns

TL;DR

This paper introduces a self-organized, self-scaling model of biological pattern formation inspired by flatworm regeneration, using a feedback loop with diffusing molecules to adjust pattern size proportionally to organism size.

Contribution

It presents a novel self-scaling Turing pattern model that explains how biological systems can regenerate proportionally scaled body plans.

Findings

Model captures key features of flatworm regeneration

Pattern length scales adjust proportionally with system size

Provides a theoretical framework for self-organized pattern scaling

Abstract

Biological patterns generated during development and regeneration often scale with organism size. Some organisms, e.g., flatworms, can regenerate a rescaled body plan from tissue fragments of varying sizes. Inspired by these examples, we introduce a generalization of Turing patterns that is self-organized and self-scaling. A feedback loop involving diffusing expander molecules regulates the reaction rates of a Turing system, thereby adjusting pattern length scales proportional to system size. Our model captures essential features of body plan regeneration in flatworms as observed in experiments.