Pattern formation in a Turing's type model with minimal reactional complexity

Turing's original reaction network is systematically studied, particularly in what concerns: (a) Its ability to produce patterns in a predictable way. (b) The feasibility of its concentration-independent sink term. Despite th e widely accepted view that Turing's original model presents some inherent inability to produce regular structures, the pattern formation properties o f this model are found to obey the predictions of the corresponding Linear Stability Analysis in the one-dimension and in 'small' two-dimensional syst ems. An 'Enzymatic' variation of the original Turing's Model is introduced, where the unrealistic sink term is substituted by an enzymatic degradation . It seems that reaction networks of this type can inspire a promising sear ch for chemical or biochemical experimental systems with pattern formation properties, even in the absence of high non-linearities. IL is pointed out that temporal oscillations, impossible for the original Turing's Model, are stable and persistent in its Enzymatic variation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.