April 2015 PMID 25804733

Positional information and reaction-diffusion: two big ideas in developmental biology combine.

Jeremy B A Green, James Sharpe

Full text PDF Download social card

Mentions

Peak: 8 in Jul 2022

across 4 sources since Aug 2016

Extended reach

1,218,308

potential audience

Total likes

18,065

Video views

1,196,478

Mentions per month

Aug 2016 – Oct 2025

Where it's discussed

X / Twitter11 posts
News3 articles
YouTube2 videos
Bluesky1 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions reflect a mostly supportive and highly interested community, with examples like references to how the article explains the relationship between reaction-diffusion and positional information, and notes on how the article advances understanding of developmental systems. The tone combines curiosity with appreciation, indicating the research’s significance in the field.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions acknowledge the value of the article, with some highlighting its explanation of how reaction-diffusion and positional information models are related, indicating general support.

InterestHigh interest

Multiple comments express high interest, referencing the significance of the theories and the potential they hold for understanding development, using enthusiastic language.

EngagementModerate engagement

Comments include reactions such as discussion of the models' differences and how they complement each other, showing moderate engagement and curiosity.

ImpactModerate impact

Posts suggest that the article is impactful within the field, emphasizing its contribution to developmental biology and its potential to clarify complex theories.

Abstract in brief

The text discusses two major concepts in developmental biology—Alan Turing's reaction-diffusion model and Lewis Wolpert's positional information—which both help explain how organisms develop their structure and form.
It clarifies the relationship between these ideas, which has often been confusing, and suggests that they work together in three different ways to influence biological patterning.
Overall, the goal is to better understand how these two theories collaborate to explain the formation of biological shapes and structures during development.]

Read the full abstract

All mentions

Exploring How Mathematics Explains Animal Pattern Formation

This video discusses how Alan Turing's reaction-diffusion model explains animal patterns, combining key ideas in developmental biology. It clarifies how reaction-diffusion and positional information work together to…

MinuteEarth · Aug 11, 2016 1,195,793 views

Understanding Morphogenesis: Pattern Formation in Nature

This video explores Alan Turing's reaction-diffusion theory and Lewis Wolpert's positional information, clarifying how these concepts combine to explain biological patterning and organism development.

Zachary Magat · Oct 7, 2020 686 views

Dr. pipetcreature

@pipetcreature.bsky.social · Bluesky

almost five years ago I marked only this partial sentence in a paper - knowing full well that it was going to haunt me now that Im writing my dissertation (while being not wery good at maths)

Feb 26, 2025 · 1 like View post →

Domenico Bellomo

@BellomoDomenico · X

RT @bdanubius: #151: Positional information and reaction-diffusion: two big ideas in developmental biology combine by @jjbaglondon @_JamesS…

Jul 26, 2023 · 1 share · 417 followers View post →

Dániel Barabási

@bdanubius · X

Jul 26, 2023 · 12 likes · 1 share · 2,010 followers View post →