morphogens

Definition: Diffusible proteins that are involved in signalling the differentiation of cells into specific tissues and organs during embryogenesis. More recently, they have also been shown to have roles in axon guidance.

Morphogen gradients play a pivotal role in most phases of developmental patterning. To ensure proper patterning, reproducible gradients are established under diverse environmental conditions and genetic backgrounds.

 buffer fluctuations in gene dosage or environmental conditions are reffered as ’robustness’
 generating the spatial distribution of morphogens

Morphogenetic fields organize tissue morphology in the embryo. By analogy, morphostatic fields maintain normal cell behaviour and normal tissue microarchitecture in the adult.

Cancer

The most prominent feature of cancer is the disruption of tissue microarchitecture. Cancer occurs much more frequently when morphostatic influences fail (metaplasia) or at the junction of two different morphostatic fields.

See also

 morphostats
 morphostasis
 malignancy

References

 Potter JD. Morphogens, morphostats, microarchitecture and malignancy. Nat Rev Cancer. 2007 Jun;7(6):464-74. PMID: 17522715

 Eaton S. Release and trafficking of lipid-linked morphogens.
Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2006 Feb;16(1):17-22. PMID: 16364628

 Kerszberg M. Noise, delays, robustness, canalization and all that. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2004 Aug;14(4):440-5. PMID: 15261662

 Eldar A, Shilo BZ, Barkai N. Elucidating mechanisms underlying robustness of morphogen gradients. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2004 Aug;14(4):435-9. PMID: 15261661

 Kerszberg M. Noise, delays, robustness, canalization and all that. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2004 Aug;14(4):440-5. PMID: 15261662

 Eldar A, Shilo BZ, Barkai N. Elucidating mechanisms underlying robustness of morphogen gradients. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2004 Aug;14(4):435-9. PMID: 15261661

 Tabata T. Genetics of morphogen gradients. Nat Rev Genet. 2001 Aug;2(8):620-30. PMID: 11483986