Tissue Dynamics

How do organs maintain a proper size despite the fact that their cells constantly divide and die?
How do organs maintain proper ratios of their different cell types?
How do organs adjust their function to match variation in distant tissues with which they communicate? How do tissues resist takeover by mutants that missense feedback signals?

Remarkably, there exist principles for tissue-level circuits that can address these challenges. These principles unify our understanding of very different tissues. The resulting feedback circuits are essential for organ function but have specific fragilities that lead to disease. Understanding the origins of diseases in this way can offer fresh perspectives on prevention and therapy.

• Dynamical compensation in physiological circuits
• Biphasic response as a mechanism against mutant takeover in tissue homeostasis circuits
• Continuum of Gene-Expression Profiles Provides Spatial Division of Labor within a Differentiated Cell Type
• Circuit Design Features of a Stable Two-Cell System