Entropic effects in cell lineage tree packings

Optimal packings1,2 of unconnected objects have been studied for centuries3–6, but the packing principles of linked objects, such as topologically complex polymers7,8 or cell lineages9,10, are yet to be fully explored. Here, we identify and investigate a generic class of geometrically frustrated tree packing problems, arising during the initial stages of animal development when interconnected cells assemble within a convex enclosure10. Using a...