Patterns of Mesenchymal Condensation in a Multiscale, Discrete Stochastic Model
Figure 3
In Vitro and Oscillatory Regime Simulation Images for Spot-Like Precartilage Condensations
(A) Discrete spot-like precartilage condensations that have formed after 72 h in a micromass culture of 5-d leg bud apical zone limb mesenchymal cells, visualized by Hoffman Contrast Modulation optics. Actual size of the microscopic field is 1 × 1.4 mm, and each condensation contains approximately 30–50 tightly packed cells.
(B) Spatial grid of equal physical size to (A) containing over 6,000 cells produced by simulation using the parameter values in Table 2 showing clusters of fibronectin-producing differentiated cells (white), nondifferentiated cells (blue-gray), and empty space between cells (black). Each cluster contains on average ∼30 cells.
(C) Spatial grid of same simulation as (B) showing fibronectin-rich patches (black) produced by the differentiated cells.
(D) Spatial grid of same simulation as (B) showing activator concentrations at time slightly after the initial onset of cell differentiation. The color bar indicates the range, with magenta for high concentration and light blue for low concentration.