Genomic control of patterning

Abstract

The development of multicellular organisms involves the partitioning of the organism into territories of cells of specific structure and function. The information for spatial patterning processes is directly encoded in the genome. The genome determines its own usage depending on stage and position, by means of interactions that constitute gene regulatory networks (GRNs). The GRN driving endomesoderm development in sea urchin embryos illustrates different regula- tory strategies by which developmental programs are initiated, orchestrated, stabilized or excluded to define the pattern of specified territories in the developing embryo.