Synthetic biology: a new means of biological pattern formation study

What are the underlying principles of biological pattern formation? This fundamental question needs to be answered. Owing to the complexity of physiology in the natural context, it is difficult to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and principles underlying pattern formation. Biological systems are so diverse and complex that even understanding the mechanism underlying a particular pattern formation becomes difficult. Although our understanding of pattern formation has been greatly advanced by the current genetic and biochemical approaches, progresses are mainly achieved from tedious studies on gain- or loss-of-function mutants. Synthetic biology is currently considered a discipline of application; however, it can also serve as a means to explore the fundamentals of life. Here, we will use periodic stripe pattern formation as a paradigm to discuss the means by which the formation of biological patterns can be understood through synthetic biology and the approaches by which synthetic biology can be applied to tissue engineering in the future.