Modifying reaction diffusion: A numerical model for Turing morphogenesis and Ben Jacob patterns

Building models of organismal growth enables predictions of natural variability and responses to perturbations. Complex systems such as animal pattern development and bacterial colonies can be modeled numerically using a reaction-diffusion system with relatively few factors and yield qualitatively accurate results, allowing exploration of different equilibrium and non-equilibrium solutions. Here, a discrete numerical reaction diffusion system is used to qualitatively reproduce both common animal patterns and Ben-Jacob bacterial growth.