Morphogenesis

Morphogenesis(meaning the "beginning of shape" ), is the biological process that causes anorganismto develop its shape.

It is one of three fundamental aspects ofdevelopmental biologyalong with the control ofcell growthandcellular differentiation.

The process controls the organized spatial distribution of cells during theembryonic developmentof anorganism.Morphogenetic responses may be induced in organisms byhormones,by substances produced by other organisms, or by mechanical stresses induced by spatial patterning of the cells. Morphogenesis can take place in an embyro, a mature organism, in cell culture or inside tumor cell masses.