morphogen
/ˈmɔrfədʒən/
noun
- A substance in a developing embryo that influences the growth and pattern of cells and tissues.
- The concentration of a morphogen determines whether a cell becomes part of a limb or an organ.
- Scientists discovered a new morphogen that helps form the spinal cord.
- In the lab, they added a synthetic morphogen to see how it changed the shape of the growing tissue.
- Something that causes or guides the development or formation of a structure, system, or idea.
- The teacher's enthusiasm was a morphogen that shaped the students' love for science.
- The founder's vision acted as a morphogen for the company's culture.
- In urban planning, public transportation can be a morphogen for neighborhood growth.