Mechanical aspects of developmental biology: perspectives On Growth and Form in the (post)-genomic age

Simple experiments demonstrate that the development of an organism is both a genetic and a physical process. This statement is so obvious that it is seldom stated explicitly, and yet, there has been little progress toward integrating what should be complementary viewpoints. This paper focuses on the mechanical aspects of morphogenesis—highlighting those areas where mechanics and molecular genetics are converging toward a much-needed synthesis.