Biological Physics of the Developing Embryo
Abstract
During development cells and tissues undergo changes in pattern and form that employ a wider range of physical mechanisms than at any other time in an organism's life. This book shows how physics can be used to analyze these biological phenomena. Written to be accessible to both biologists and physicists, major stages and components of the biological development process are introduced and then analyzed from the viewpoint of physics. The presentation of physical models requires no mathematics beyond basic calculus. Physical concepts introduced include diffusion, viscosity and elasticity, adhesion, dynamical systems, electrical potential, percolation, fractals, reaction-diffusion systems, and cellular automata. With full-color figures throughout, this comprehensive textbook teaches biophysics by application to developmental biology and is suitable for graduate and upper-undergraduate courses in physics and biology.
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New theories inspired in physics have validated many of D'Arcy Thompson's intuitions.
“Despite its limitations [222], new theories inspired in physics have validated many of those intuitions [223–225].”
From Fundamental constraints to the logic of living systems (2024) · cites this paper as [223]
Cites
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“It is not surprising, therefore, that simple diffusion is increasingly seen to be not an entirely adequate mechanism for extended intracellular transport (Ellis, 2001; Hall and Minton, 2003; Medalia et al., 2002); at best it can act on a submicrometer scale (Goulian and Simon, 2000; Shav-Tal et al.”
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“, 1998), as well as for aggregates of genetically transformed cells with varying levels of cadherin or integrin expression (Ryan et al., 2001; Robinson et al., 2003; Foty and Steinberg, 2005).”
Selectins: A family of adhesion receptors
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Small Bilaterian Fossils from 40 to 55 Million Years Before the Cambrian
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α5β1 integrin mediates strong tissue cohesion
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Newman, S. A., & Bhat, R. (2009) · The International Journal of Developmental Biology · doi:10.1387/ijdb.072481sn · Cited by 208 · see citing works
Self-citationJaeger, J., Irons, D., & Monk, N. (2008) · Development · doi:10.1242/dev.018697 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Physico-Genetic Determinants in the Evolution of Development
Newman, S. A. (2012) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1222003 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Self-citationFundamental constraints to the logic of living systems
Solé, R., Kempes, C. P., Corominas-Murtra, B., De Domenico, M., Kolchinsky, A., Lachmann, M., Libby, E., Saavedra, S., Smith, E., & Wolpert, D. (2024) · Interface Focus · doi:10.1098/rsfs.2024.0010 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
- Authors
- Forgacs, G., & Newman, S. A.
- Affiliations
- New York Medical College (US)
- ORCID
- Newman, Stuart A.
- Venue
- Cambridge University Press eBooks
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Published
- 2005-11-24
- OpenAlex
- W1649878614
- Cited by
- 339
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 16.51
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cambridge University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation
- Keywords
- embryonic development, biophysics, pattern formation, morphogenesis, diffusion, viscosity, elasticity, adhesion, dynamical systems, electric potential, percolation, fractals, reaction-diffusion systems, cellular automata
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