Genes, Morphogenesis, Evolution: Life and ALife Aspects
6. CONCLUSIONS
- Self-organizing models of biological morphogenesis requires (bio)molecular
kinetic system leading morphogenetic movements. Feedback loop from (bio)mechanical
state of multicellular machinery to key parameters of the molecular kinetic
system completes the model. An idea of leading of pattern-forming systems
by gradual increasing/decreasing of one of key parameters appears to be
fruitful for simulations of emergence and rising of biological order. Closing
of all feedback loops we obtain self-organizing (self-leading) system.
An Evolution of the "self-governing" systems seems to be predetermine
some generalized pathways.
- When parameters such as size of blastula or diffusion- and rate-constants
increase/decrease beyond well-defined critical values, the homogeneous
state become unstable and stable gradients emerge spontaneously. It has
been argued (Hunding, 1987; Hunding and Brons, 1990) that the pattern sequences
found in one model system should be generally found for a large class of
such systems. In other word, the first few bifurcations are common to a
broad class of the (bio)chemical reaction networks coupled to morphogenetic
movements.
- Equally with self-organization via pattern-form interplay (Game of
Morphogenesis), the size regulation is considered as a fundamental aspect
of biological morphogenesis. Algorithms of the regulative morphogenesis,
elaborated in theoretical biology, must have, I hope, perspectives for
application in the field of artificial morphogenesis, in ALife.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to thank Fred Cummings and Axel Hunding for stimulating
discussions on general aspects of morphogenesis, as well as Lionel Harrison
and Truston Lacalli for reprints of articles.
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