Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Wave Nature of Light02:12

The Wave Nature of Light

61.5K
The nature of light has been a subject of inquiry since antiquity. In the seventeenth century, Isaac Newton performed experiments with lenses and prisms and was able to demonstrate that white light consists of the individual colors of the rainbow combined together. Newton explained his optics findings in terms of a "corpuscular" view of light, in which light was composed of streams of extremely tiny particles traveling at high speeds according to Newton's laws of motion.
61.5K
Power Dissipated in a Circuit: Problem Solving01:15

Power Dissipated in a Circuit: Problem Solving

1.6K
The equivalent resistance of a combination of resistors depends on their values and how they are connected.
The simplest combinations of resistors are series and parallel connections. In a series circuit, the first resistor's output current flows into the second resistor's input; therefore, each resistor's current is the same. Thus, the equivalent resistance is the algebraic sum of the resistances. The current through the circuit can be found from Ohm's law and is equal to the...
1.6K
Structures of Solids02:22

Structures of Solids

18.0K
Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...
18.0K
Oscillations In An LC Circuit01:30

Oscillations In An LC Circuit

3.1K
An idealized LC circuit of zero resistance can oscillate without any source of emf by shifting the energy stored in the circuit between the electric and magnetic fields. In such an LC circuit, if the capacitor contains a charge q before the switch is closed, then all the energy of the circuit is initially stored in the electric field of the capacitor. This energy is given by
3.1K
Forced Oscillations01:06

Forced Oscillations

8.0K
When an oscillator is forced with a periodic driving force, the motion may seem chaotic. The motions of such oscillators are known as transients. After the transients die out, the oscillator reaches a steady state, where the motion is periodic, and the displacement is determined.
8.0K
Damped Oscillations01:07

Damped Oscillations

7.3K
In the real world, oscillations seldom follow true simple harmonic motion. A system that continues its motion indefinitely without losing its amplitude is termed undamped. However, friction of some sort usually dampens the motion, so it fades away or needs more force to continue. For example, a guitar string stops oscillating a few seconds after being plucked. Similarly, one must continually push a swing to keep a child swinging on a playground.
Although friction and other non-conservative...
7.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Multi-synchronization and other patterns of multi-rhythmicity in oscillatory biological systems.

Interface focus·2022
Same journal

Inverse FIP effect plasma in the solar atmosphere: a synthesis of current understanding and new insights from AR 11967.

Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences·2026
Same journal

Signs of sulfur fractionation under high magnetic field strength.

Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences·2026
Same journal

First ionization potential fractionation of sulfur observed with spectral imaging of the coronal environment.

Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences·2026
Same journal

Chromospheric dynamics and turbulence regulate the solar FIP effect.

Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences·2026
Same journal

Exploring the link between wave activity in the photospheric velocity driver and the FIP bias in the solar corona.

Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences·2026
Same journal

Radiative hydrodynamic simulations of first ionization potential fractionation in solar flares.

Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 9, 2026

The Use of Chemostats in Microbial Systems Biology
13:19

The Use of Chemostats in Microbial Systems Biology

Published on: October 14, 2013

31.8K

Dissipative structures in biological systems: bistability, oscillations, spatial patterns and waves.

Albert Goldbeter1

  • 1Unité de Chronobiologie théorique, Service de Chimie physique et Biologie théorique, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, CP 231, 1050 Brussels, Belgium agoldbet@ulb.ac.be.

Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences
|June 13, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Dissipative structures, proposed by Ilya Prigogine, are crucial for understanding non-equilibrium self-organization in biology. This review explores their four types—multistability, oscillations, Turing patterns, and waves—and their widespread biological applications.

Keywords:
Turing patternsbiological rhythmsbistabilitydissipative structuresoscillationspropagating waves

More Related Videos

Recording Spatially Restricted Oscillations in the Hippocampus of Behaving Mice
07:10

Recording Spatially Restricted Oscillations in the Hippocampus of Behaving Mice

Published on: July 1, 2018

9.4K
Measuring Spatially- and Directionally-varying Light Scattering from Biological Material
11:57

Measuring Spatially- and Directionally-varying Light Scattering from Biological Material

Published on: May 20, 2013

14.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 9, 2026

The Use of Chemostats in Microbial Systems Biology
13:19

The Use of Chemostats in Microbial Systems Biology

Published on: October 14, 2013

31.8K
Recording Spatially Restricted Oscillations in the Hippocampus of Behaving Mice
07:10

Recording Spatially Restricted Oscillations in the Hippocampus of Behaving Mice

Published on: July 1, 2018

9.4K
Measuring Spatially- and Directionally-varying Light Scattering from Biological Material
11:57

Measuring Spatially- and Directionally-varying Light Scattering from Biological Material

Published on: May 20, 2013

14.0K

Area of Science:

  • Non-equilibrium thermodynamics
  • Systems biology
  • Theoretical biology

Background:

  • The concept of dissipative structures, introduced by Ilya Prigogine, offers a framework for understanding self-organization in systems far from equilibrium.
  • Biological systems exhibit complex dynamics and organization that can be analyzed through the lens of non-equilibrium thermodynamics.
  • Understanding these dynamical bases is key to deciphering fundamental biological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the relevance and applications of dissipative structures in biological systems over the past five decades.
  • To classify and illustrate the four main types of dissipative structures with biological examples.
  • To highlight the prevalence and importance of dissipative structures in various biological contexts.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on dissipative structures in biology.
  • Classification of dissipative structures into four categories: multistability, temporal, spatial, and spatio-temporal.
  • Illustration of each category with specific biological examples, including rhythms, Turing patterns, and waves.

Main Results:

  • Dissipative structures are abundant in biological systems across all levels of organization.
  • Four types of dissipative structures are identified: multistability (bistability, birhythmicity), sustained oscillations, Turing patterns, and propagating waves.
  • Examples range from circadian rhythms and cell cycle dynamics to developmental patterns and intercellular communication.

Conclusions:

  • Dissipative structures provide a powerful conceptual tool for understanding non-equilibrium self-organization in biology.
  • The four identified types of dissipative structures are widely observed and play critical roles in physiological and developmental processes.
  • Further research into dissipative structures will continue to illuminate the dynamical principles underlying life.