Researchers from the University of Edinburgh have found that the recognisable arches, loops and whorls of fingerprints develop in the womb in waves starting from 3 different points.
Fingerprint ridges first form as downward growths in the skin, which then start growing upwards resulting in bands. The unique patterns we see arise due to interactions between 3 signalling molecules which follow a Turing Pattern. There are 3 key molecules involved in this process – WNT, EDAR and BMP.
Developmental biologist Denis Headon from the University of Edinburgh described the process simply as “turning a dial – or molecule – up and down”
The team of Edinburgh researchers adjusted levels of these molecules in mice to examine how they interact with each other and give rise to patterns in the skin. Developmental biologist Denis Headon from the University of Edinburgh described the process simply as “turning a dial – or molecule – up and down”. It was then observed how these actions caused the patterns to change. For example, increasing levels of EDAR caused ridges to form, whereas decreasing it led to the production of spot-like patterns.
The Turing reaction-diffusion is a mathematical theory that describes how chemicals interact to create patterns seen in nature, such as the stripes ofr a tiger. The change between ridges and spots seen in this study is a signature aspect of systems governed by the Turing reaction-diffusion. The researchers used computer models to simulate a Turing pattern spreading in waves from 3 known initiation sites on the fingertip – under the nail, at the joint’s crease and in the center. By adjusting the timing, location and angle of these starting points, the team successfully recreated some common fingerprint patterns, and even rarer ones too. This dynamic system gives rise to the unending variation of patterns that give us our unique fingerprints.
The Turing reaction-diffusion is a mathematical theory that describes how chemicals interact to create patterns seen in nature, such as the stripes of a tiger
Ultimately, the study hopes to contribute to the understanding of how skin matures and to potentially aid formation of skin structures when they’re not developing properly in the womb.