A team of researchers has made a breakthrough in understanding how cells take on complex shapes, a discovery that could have implications for the development of new treatments for diseases like cancer.

The study, published in the journal Nature, found that cells use a mechanism called "self-organization" to create their intricate structures. Self-organization is a process by which a system can spontaneously form order without any external guidance.

In the case of cells, self-organization is driven by the interactions between the cell's membrane and its cytoskeleton, a network of proteins that gives the cell its shape. When the membrane and cytoskeleton interact, they create forces that cause the cell to fold and bend into complex shapes.

The researchers were able to study self-organization in cells by using a combination of experimental techniques and computer simulations. They found that the process is controlled by a number of factors, including the stiffness of the membrane and the strength of the interactions between the membrane and the cytoskeleton.

This discovery could have implications for the development of new treatments for diseases like cancer. Cancer cells often have abnormal shapes, which can make them more aggressive and resistant to treatment. By understanding how cells take on their shapes, researchers may be able to develop new drugs that target this process and prevent cancer cells from spreading.

In addition to cancer, the findings could also have implications for the development of new regenerative medicine treatments. For example, researchers may be able to use self-organization to create new tissues and organs for transplant.

"This discovery is a major breakthrough in our understanding of how cells work," said study leader Dr. James A. Langer, a professor of physics at MIT. "It opens up new possibilities for the development of new treatments for diseases like cancer and for the creation of new regenerative medicine therapies."