ArticleThe International journal of developmental biology2009
Diffusible gradients are out - an interview with Lewis Wolpert. Interviewed by Richardson, Michael K.
Article in The International journal of developmental biology, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed.
- Article
- Receptor binding and tortuosity explain morphogen local-to-global diffusion coefficient transition.Biophysical journal · 2025Article
- Tissue pressure and YAP during organogenesis.Nature cell biology · 2024Article
- Real-time monitoring of an endogenous Fgf8a gradient attests to its role as a morphogen during zebrafish gastrulation.Development (Cambridge, England) · 2023Article
- A macrophage subpopulation promotes airineme-mediated intercellular communication in a matrix metalloproteinase-9 dependent manner.Cell reports · 2023Article
- The revolutionary developmental biology of Wilhelm His, Sr.Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society · 2022Review
- Theories, laws, and models in evo-devo.Journal of experimental zoology. Part B, Molecular and developmental evolution · 2022Review
- Airinemes: thin cellular protrusions mediate long-distance signalling guided by macrophages.Open biology · 2020Review
- Specialized cytonemes induce self-organization of stem cells.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2020Article
- Amar Klar: A giant among scientists (1947-2017).Journal of biosciences · 2017Article
- Split hand/foot malformation genetics supports the chromosome 7 copy segregation mechanism for human limb development.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2016Review
- Introduction to provocative questions in left-right asymmetry.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2016Article
- GAP junctional communication in brain secondary organizers.Development, growth & differentiation · 2016Review
- The relationship between growth and pattern formation.Regeneration (Oxford, England) · 2016Review
- Cytonemes as specialized signaling filopodia.Development (Cambridge, England) · 2014Review
- Morphogen transport.Development (Cambridge, England) · 2013Article
- Early, nonciliary role for microtubule proteins in left-right patterning is conserved across kingdoms.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2012Article
- Free extracellular diffusion creates the Dpp morphogen gradient of the Drosophila wing disc.Current biology : CB · 2012Article
- Extracellular movement of signaling molecules.Developmental cell · 2011Review
- Pattern, growth, and control.Cell · 2011Review
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1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
In 1969, Lewis Wolpert published a paper outlining his new concepts of "pattern formation" and "positional information". He had already published research on the mechanics of cell membranes in amoebae, and a series of classic studies of sea urchin gastrulation with Trygve Gustavson. Wolpert had presented his 1969 paper a year earlier at a Woods Hole conference, where it received a very hostile reception: "I wasnt asked back to America for many years!". But with Francis Crick lining up in support of diffusible morphogen gradients, positional information eventually became established as a guiding principle for research into biological pattern formation. It is now clear that pattern formation is much more complex than could possibly have been imagined in 1969. But Wolpert still believes in positional information, and regards intercalation during regeneration as its best supporting evidence. However, he and others doubt that diffusible morphogen gradients are a plausible mechanism: "Diffusible gradients are too messy", he says. Since his retirement, Lewis Wolpert has remained active as a theoretical biologist and continues to publish in leading journals. He has also campaigned for a greater public understanding of the stigma of depression. He was interviewed at home in London on July 26th, 2007 by Michael Richardson.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.