Cell shape is mainly determined by biophysical constraints, interacting according to non-linear dynamics upon the basic units provided by the genome. In turn, the specific configuration a cell acquires plays a fundamental, permissive role in modulating gene expression and many other complex biological functions. Cell shape is tightly connected to cell activity and can be considered the most critical determinant of cell function. As a consequence, measurable parameters describing shape could be considered as 'omics' descriptors of the specific level of observation represented by the cell-stroma system. Such an approach promises to formalize some of the underlying basic mechanisms and, ultimately, provide a holistic understanding of the biological processes.
Physical forces and non linear dynamics mould fractal cell shape. Quantitative morphological parameters and cell phenotype / Bizzarri, Mariano; Alessia, Pasqualato; Cucina, Alessandra; Pasta, Vittorio. - In: HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY. - ISSN 0213-3911. - STAMPA. - 28:2(2013), pp. 155-174.
Physical forces and non linear dynamics mould fractal cell shape. Quantitative morphological parameters and cell phenotype
BIZZARRI, Mariano;CUCINA, Alessandra;PASTA, Vittorio
2013
Abstract
Cell shape is mainly determined by biophysical constraints, interacting according to non-linear dynamics upon the basic units provided by the genome. In turn, the specific configuration a cell acquires plays a fundamental, permissive role in modulating gene expression and many other complex biological functions. Cell shape is tightly connected to cell activity and can be considered the most critical determinant of cell function. As a consequence, measurable parameters describing shape could be considered as 'omics' descriptors of the specific level of observation represented by the cell-stroma system. Such an approach promises to formalize some of the underlying basic mechanisms and, ultimately, provide a holistic understanding of the biological processes.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.