Theories on Limb Bud Morphogenesis

There are several different ideas regarding pattern formation in the vertebrate limb. In this paper I will do a comparative study of several of the ideas and present mathematical models which describe three of the theories. A brief history of morphogenetic modeling will be presented, along with a summary of the biology involved. Then, the three models will be presented and proven using the method of stability analysis. Following the mathematical analysis of the models, I will talk about the possible types of patterns that can be produced, and compare the three models. Finally, I will discuss a recent discovery related to limb bud pattern formation