Noise-Resistant and Synchronized Oscillation of the Segmentation Clock

Abstract

Vertebrate segmentation is controlled by a developmental time-keeper, called “segmentation clock”. The segmentation clock, being an ensemble of cellular oscillators, displays a well-organized transcriptional oscillation both at the cell and tissue levels. Here we review our recent analysis on the clock population, which incorporated a combinatorial analysis of mathematical and experimental techniques, then discuss the mechanism and significance of intercellular communication to achieve a noise-resistant and synchronized oscillation.