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The position of an object defines its location relative to a convenient frame of reference at any particular time. A frame of reference is an arbitrary set of axes from which the position and motion of an object are described. Earth is often used as a frame of reference, and we often describe the position of an object as it relates to stationary objects on Earth. For example, a rocket launch could be described in terms of the position of the rocket with respect to Earth as a whole. On the other...
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A position vector is a fundamental concept in mathematics that helps determine the position of one point with respect to another point in space. It is a vector that describes the direction and distance between two points. Position vectors are highly useful in the field of math and science, as they help represent spatial relationships and make calculations easier.
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In anatomy, several standard anatomical positions are used as references for describing the position and orientation of different body parts. These positions help provide a common frame of reference when discussing anatomical structures. The anatomical position is the standard reference point for describing the body's position and orientation. In this position:
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In 1928, a German botanist Emil Heitz observed the moss nuclei with a DNA binding dye. He observed that while some chromatin regions decondense and spread out in the interphase nucleus, others do not. He termed them euchromatin and heterochromatin, respectively. He proposed that the heterochromatin regions reflect a functionally inactive state of the genome. It was later confirmed that heterochromatin is transcriptionally repressed, and euchromatin is transcriptionally active chromatin.
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The many bits of positional information.

Gašper Tkačik1, Thomas Gregor2,3

  • 1Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Am Campus 1, AT-3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria.

Development (Cambridge, England)
|February 2, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Positional information, crucial for cell fate determination, is encoded in molecular concentrations. This developmental biology concept, particularly in Drosophila embryos, requires understanding stochasticity for accurate cell specification.

Keywords:
Developmental biologyDrosophila embryoLewis WolpertPattern formationShannon information

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Systems Biology
  • Information Theory

Background:

  • Lewis Wolpert's concept of positional information revolutionized understanding of cell fate.
  • Positional information explains how cells acquire specific fates based on their location.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a historical perspective on positional information.
  • To present a modern, information-theoretic interpretation of positional information.
  • To explore its application in early Drosophila embryogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis and historical review.
  • Application of information theory to developmental processes.
  • Focus on quantitative, systems-level questions.

Main Results:

  • Positional information is encoded in stochastic mappings of physical position to molecular concentrations.
  • Cell fate determination must account for this inherent stochasticity.
  • A shift in focus from molecular mechanisms to systems-level understanding.

Conclusions:

  • Positional information is a fundamental concept in developmental biology.
  • Information theory offers a powerful framework for analyzing positional information.
  • Understanding stochasticity is key to deciphering cell specification processes.