Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have proposed a new mechanism that could explain how animals get their intricate patterns, such as the hexagonal spots and stripes of the ornate boxfish.
The team found that a process called diffusiophoresis, which describes the movement of molecules suspended in a fluid in response to a concentration gradient of a separate chemical, could create sharp patterns in animals.
When the scientists computed Turing’s equation, modified to include this process, the simulations they generated showed the molecules’ path had always created sharp outlines, unlike the fuzzy, ill-defined spots that Turing’s theory alone would create.
The engineers’ findings suggest that with the diffusion of chemical agents, chromatophores (pigment cells) are also dragged along their trajectory in diffusiophoresis, creating spots and stripes with a much sharper outline.
The study’s coauthor, Ankur Gupta, said he hopes the findings will promote further research on diffusiophoresis regarding embryo and tumor formation as well as camouflage and other species’ biological processes.
Other scientists, while welcoming the study’s findings, said there could be other possible solutions to refine Turing’s theory. They said cells are extremely sticky and are very unlikely to be moved by diffusiophoresis, and there are still gaps in Turing’s theory yet to be explored.
Overall, the study provides new insights into how animals get their intricate patterns and could lead to further research on this fascinating topic.