A chemical agent able to cause or determine morphogenesis.
〔生〕形态发生素，成形素
Example sentencesExamples
He suggested that biological forms mirror patterns in the concentrations of hypothetical chemicals called morphogens.
For example, many morphogens - molecules that direct cells to grow and differentiate during embryogenesis - are not water - soluble, so biologists know little about how they spread out during early development.
The Hedgehog proteins are secreted morphogens that provide positional information during the development of many multi-cellular animals.
A morphogen is a diffusible substance that specifies the fate and activity of developing cells by its concentration.
Endocrine studies have shown that thyroid hormone is the principle morphogen controlling amphibian metamorphosis.
Definition of morphogen in US English:
morphogen
nounˈmôrfəjən
Biology
A chemical agent able to cause or determine morphogenesis.
〔生〕形态发生素，成形素
Example sentencesExamples
He suggested that biological forms mirror patterns in the concentrations of hypothetical chemicals called morphogens.
Endocrine studies have shown that thyroid hormone is the principle morphogen controlling amphibian metamorphosis.
The Hedgehog proteins are secreted morphogens that provide positional information during the development of many multi-cellular animals.
For example, many morphogens - molecules that direct cells to grow and differentiate during embryogenesis - are not water - soluble, so biologists know little about how they spread out during early development.
A morphogen is a diffusible substance that specifies the fate and activity of developing cells by its concentration.