Emergence of multicellular organisms with dynamic differentiation and spatial pattern.
The origin of multicellular organisms and the mechanism of development in cell societies are studied by choosing a model with intracellular biochemical dynamics allowing for oscillations, cell-cell interaction through diffusive chemicals on a two-dimensional grid, and state-dependent cell adhesion. Cells differentiate due to a dynamical instability, as described by our "isologous diversification" theory. A fixed spatial pattern of differentiated cells emerges, where spatial information is sustained by cell-cell interactions. This pattern is robust against perturbations. With an adequate cell adhesion force, active cells are release that form the seed of a new generation of multicellular organisms, accompanied by death of the original multicellular unit as a halting state. It is shown that the emergence of multicellular organisms with differentiation, regulation, and life cycle is not an accidental event, but a natural consequence in a system of replicating cells with growth.
Furusawa
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C
Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan. furusawa@complex.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Kaneko
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K
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D019521:Body Patterning; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D019295:Computational Biology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004058:Diffusion; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological