Microbial multicellular systems are physical assemblies of genetically identical or heterogeneous microorganisms that exhibit coordinated organization, spatial structuring, and division of labor beyond single-cell behavior. These systems include biofilms, filaments, aggregates, and fruiting bodies, where cell–cell adhesion, extracellular matrix production, and chemical signaling (e.g., quorum sensing, diffusible morphogens) generate emergent mechanical and physiological properties. As physical systems, they are characterized by collective dynamics such as pattern formation, phase-like transitions between dispersed and clustered states, and mechano-chemical feedbacks that regulate growth, differentiation, and resource allocation, making them key model systems for studying self-organization, robustness, and multicellularity in active matter.
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