Local Ridge Formation and Domain Delimitation in Aggregation-Diffusion Equations

Abstract: On the carapace of turtles such as Mauremys japonica, raised linear structures called keels form along the midline during embryonic development. This study investigates the underlying mechanisms of keel formation and domain delimitation on the carapace using a theoretical framework based on aggregation-diffusion equations. In this model, outward tissue growth is represented by density-dependent diffusion, while local ridge formation is modeled as distance-dependent aggregation potentially driven by haptotaxis. Analytical and numerical investigations reveal that distance sensitivity in aggregation plays a critical role in shaping ridge patterns and domain boundaries: low sensitivity promotes uniform density, whereas high sensitivity leads to localized high-density regions. The model may reproduce species-specific variations in keel formation, including the emergence of single or multiple keels, and accounts for the consistent appearance of the midline keel across diverse turtle species. Furthermore, the emergence of multiple high-density regions is shown to occur at points where the aggregation flux changes sign. These findings imply that cellular responses to structural gradients may underlie both ridge formation and boundary determination. This study helps possibly providing new insight into morphogenetic patterning on the turtle carapace and highlighting the role of distance-dependent cell aggregation in shaping complex biological structures.