Frequency gradients in heterogeneous oscillatory media can spatially localize self-organized wave sources that coordinate system-wide activity

Ria Ghosh; Pavithraa Seenivasan; Shakti N. Menon; S. Sridhar; Nicolas B. Garnier; Alain Pumir; Sitabhra Sinha

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arXiv · 1912.07271

Frequency gradients in heterogeneous oscillatory media can spatially localize self-organized wave sources that coordinate system-wide activity

Ria Ghosh·Pavithraa Seenivasan·Shakti N. Menon·S. Sridhar·Nicolas B. Garnier·Alain Pumir·Sitabhra Sinha

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Abstract

Rhythmogenesis, which is critical for many biological functions, involves a transition to coherent activity through cell-cell communication. In the absence of centralized coordination by specialized cells (pacemakers), competing oscillating clusters impede this global synchrony. We show that spatial symmetry-breaking through a frequency gradient results in the emergence of localized wave sources driving system-wide activity. Such gradients, arising through heterogeneous inter-cellular coupling, may explain directed rhythmic activity during labor in the uterus despite the absence of pacemakers.

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Ria Ghosh, Pavithraa Seenivasan, Shakti N. Menon, S. Sridhar, Nicolas B. Garnier, Alain Pumir, Sitabhra Sinha. 2019-12-16. Frequency gradients in heterogeneous oscillatory media can spatially localize self-organized wave sources that coordinate system-wide activity. https://arxiv.org/abs/1912.07271

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