Schematic representation of the proposed interplay between the intracellular gene regulatory network (GRN) dynamics and physical fields that lead to the spatio-temporal patterns of cell types.

<p>On the left hand side we show the undifferentiated cells in yellow, each having identical GRNs and gene configurations. Such configurations correspond to the state of activations of each of the genes within the GRN. The profile of the initial field is shown in red and the field is shown in black. As time runs, there is a reciprocal interaction between the fields and the GRN, represented by a purple line. On the right hand side we show the state of the fields and the GRNs within cells after some time. The GRNs respond to the external fields, which provide positional information, and thus attain different attractors depending on the value of the fields at each cell position. These attractors or gene configurations are represented by showing activated genes in blue, while the colours of the cells indicate different lineages and fates.