We show that, when cells communicate by contact-mediated interactions, heterogeneity in cell shapes and sizes leads to qualitatively distinct collective behavior in the tissue. For intercellular coupling that implements lateral inhibition, such disorder-driven transitions can substantially alter the asymptotic pattern of differentiated cells by modulating their fate choice through changes in the neighborhood geometry. In addition, when contact-induced signals influence inherent cellular oscillations, disorder leads to the emergence of functionally relevant partially-ordered dynamical states.

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• Cell communication
• Chimera states
• Developmental pattern formation
• Morphogenesis
• Coupled oscillators
• Disordered systems
• Gene regulatory networks
• Pattern formation