Morphogene

Morphogene is a term used in developmental biology to refer to a gene that contributes to the shaping or patterning of tissues during morphogenesis. In this sense, a morphogene can function by encoding a protein that acts as a morphogen, by regulating the expression of other morphogenetic signals, or by controlling cell behaviors such as proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, or migration. The term is not uniformly standardized; the more common term in the literature is morphogen, which denotes a signaling molecule that forms a concentration gradient to instruct cellular responses.

In practice, scientists may refer to morphogenes when discussing genes that participate in morphogen signaling pathways or in theoretical models of tissue patterning. Classic examples of morphogen pathways include Hedgehog, BMP, Wnt, and Notch, and the associated transcription factors such as the Hox genes, which collectively orchestrate large-scale patterning events. It is important to note that not all morphogene activities involve extracellular signals; some act as intracellular regulators of cell fate decisions that influence tissue morphogenesis.

Applications of the concept appear in developmental biology, evolutionary biology, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering, where researchers aim to recapitulate morphogenesis by manipulating gene expression and morphogen gradients.

See also: Morphogen, Morphogenesis, Developmental biology.