Abstract

In all vertebrate animals, including humans, the segmentation of the body plan proceeds during embryonic development: the elongating body axis segments rhythmically and sequentially into somites, the precursors of vertebrae and ribs. Segmentation is controlled by a pattern forming system based on coupled cellular oscillations in gene product concentrations. Coordinated oscillations across the segmenting tissue generate waves that travel across the segmenting tissue and guide the segmentation process. In this talk, I will present results from a combined theoretical and experimental approach, showing that the period of segmentation results from the collective behavior of many oscillating cells and is affected by phenomena known from wave physics such as a Doppler effect and a dynamic change of the wavelength.