Investigations with a Multicellular Developmental Model

Multicellular Developmental Model Kurt Fleischer Previous address: California Institute of Technology, MS 350-74, Pasadena, CA, USA, 91125 Current address: Pixar Animation Studios, 1001 W. Cutting Blvd #200, Richmond, CA, USA, 94804 e-mail: [email protected] c Kurt Fleischer, 1996. Abstract This paper reports recent simulation experiments that probe the capabilities of a particular multicellular developmental model. Biological development is a complicated process involving cells interacting under genetic control. Cells interact via chemical, mechanical, and electrical mechanisms to create the shape of an organism. Instead of trying to simplify a developmental system su ciently to enable a thorough mathematical analysis, we have tried to include in our model as many of the relevant mechanisms as is computationally feasible. The resulting simulation system exhibits many emergent phenomena seen in biological systems: combination of lineage-directed and interactiondirected development, morphogenesis based on the interaction of multiple mechanisms, formation of segmented shapes, formation of hierarchical structures, and regeneration of damaged structures. In the future, we believe there will be great value in using simulations such as these to gain intuitions about biological systems that can later be examined more closely and subjected to analysis. Note: Several of the images in this paper are best viewed in color. Color versions of the gures are available at the web page http://www.gg.caltech.edu/ kurt/Devsim/alife5.html.