Branching in nature : dynamics and morphogenesis of branching structures, from cell to river networks : les Houches school, October 11-15, 1999

Patterns with Open Branches or Closed Networks: Growth in Scalar or Tensorial Fields.- Plants.- I Branching in Plants.- II Inside the Buds: The Meristems.- Contributed Paper 1 Two Symmetries Linking Biological and Physical Branching Morphogenesis.- III Establishing a Growth Axis in Fucoid Algae.- Contributed Paper 2 Shape Stability during Osmotic Growth.- Contributed Paper 3 On Transcellular Ionic Currents.- Rivers.- IV Branched Patterns in Geology: Rivers and Other Systems.- Neurons.- V Neuronal Arborization.- Contributed Paper 4 Chemical Waves and Dendrites Navigation during Self-Wiring of Neural Nets.- Branching Organs.- VI The Mouse Embryonic Lung: A Biological Example of Branching Morphogenesis.- VII Branched Structures, Acinus Morphology and Optimal Design of Mammalian Lungs.- Contributed Paper 5 Quantitative Studies of Branching Morphogenesis in the Developing Kidney.- Contributed Paper 6 Morphogenic Responses of Mammary Epithelial Cells Grown in Biological Semi-Solid Substrates.- Vessels.- VIII Vascular Development: Design Principles and Morphometric Analysis of a Branched Vascular Tree.- IX Mechanics of the Large Artery Vascular Wall.- Contributed Paper 7 A Link Between Dendritic Growth and Remodeling of Blood Vessels.- Bacteria.- X Adaptive Branching During Colonial Development of Lubricating Bacteria.- Contributed Paper 8 Pattern Formation Modeling of Bacterial Colonies.- Crystals.- XI Dendritic Growth.- Contributed Paper 9 Sidebranching in Solutal Dendritic Growth.- Contributed Paper 10 Experimental Study of Sidebranching in Directional Solidification.- Fluids.- XII Branching during Dewetting and Wetting.- Contributed Paper 11 Viscous Fingering in a Gel.- Contributed Paper 12 Branching Transition in Viscous Fingering with a Liquid Crystal.- Mathematics.- Contributed Paper 13 Mathematical Meristems: The Singularities of Laplacian Growth.- List of Participants.- Color Plates.