noun
- substances that determine the pattern of tissue development during embryonic growth by forming concentration gradients
Usage: biology; developmental biology
Examples
- Morphogens play a crucial role in determining where limbs will form during embryonic development.
- Scientists study how morphogens create gradients that guide cell differentiation.
- The concentration of morphogens decreases with distance from their source.
- Disruption of morphogen signaling can lead to developmental abnormalities.
- Researchers identified several key morphogens involved in neural tube formation.
- Different morphogens work together to establish body axis patterns in developing embryos.