Fractals

Fractals in cell biology

Fractals often appear in the realm of living organisms where they arise through branching processes and other complex pattern formation. Richard Taylor and co-workers have shown that the dendritic branches of neurons form fractal patterns. Ian Wong and co-workers have shown that migrating cells can form fractals by clustering and branching. Nerve cells function through processes at the cell surface, with phenomena that are enhanced by largely increasing the surface to volume ratio. As a consequence nerve cells often are found to form into fractal patterns. These processes are crucial in cell physiology and different pathologies.