Agent-based modeling of morphogenetic systems: Advantages and challenges.

The complexity of morphogenesis poses a fundamental challenge to understanding the mechanisms governing the formation of biological patterns and structures. Over the past century, numerous processes have been identified as critically contributing to morphogenetic events, but the interplay between the various components and aspects of pattern formation have been much harder to grasp. The combination of traditional biology with mathematical and computational methods has had a profound effect on our current understanding of morphogenesis and led to significant insights and advancements in the field.

Author Correction: Dynamic intercellular transport modulates the spatial patterning of differentiation during early neural commitment.

In the original version of this Article, an incorrect DOI number was provided in the Code Availability statement regarding the deposition of the computational model. The correct DOI is 10.5281/zenodo.

Dynamic intercellular transport modulates the spatial patterning of differentiation during early neural commitment.

The initiation of heterogeneity within a population of phenotypically identical progenitors is a critical event for the onset of morphogenesis and differentiation patterning. Gap junction communication within multicellular systems produces complex networks of intercellular connectivity that result in heterogeneous distributions of intracellular signaling molecules. In this study, we investigate emergent systems-level behavior of the intercellular network within embryonic stem cell (ESC) populations and corresponding spatial organization during early neural differentiation.