Fig. 4.
Chromosomes self-organize according to coordinate gene regulation. (A) Geometric interpretation of the chromosomal network, where the phases of θi are plotted on the unit circle. Three snapshots during differentiation are represented, where R1 is the distribution of the network representing the progenitor state, R2 the phase transition, and R3 the erythroid differentiated cell type. (B) Schematic illustration of the evolution of the order parameter (R) seen in numerical simulations of the chromosomal oscillator model for a specific coupling strength equation (19). (C) Schematic illustration for the mechanics of self-organization, with local interactions (gene coregulation) leading to chromosomal associations that emerge cooperatively in a cell-specific organization of the nucleus, which in turn feeds back to strengthen the local associations.