Self-assembly of biological networks via adaptive patterning revealed by avian intradermal muscle network formation.

Networked structures integrate numerous elements into one functional unit, while providing a balance between efficiency, robustness, and flexibility. Understanding how biological networks self-assemble will provide insights into how these features arise. Here, we demonstrate how nature forms exquisite muscle networks that can repair, regenerate, and adapt to external perturbations using the feather muscle network in chicken embryos as a paradigm.