title: A biologically derived approach to tissue modeling.
abstract: Our approach to tissue modeling incorporates biologically derived primitives into a computational engine (CellSim) coupled with a genetic search algorithm. By expanding an evolved synthetic genome CellSim is capable of developing a virtual tissue with higher order properties. Using primitives based on cell signaling, gene networks, cell division, growth, and death, we have encoded a 64-cell cube-shaped tissue with emergent capacity to repair itself when up to 60% of its cells are destroyed. Other tissue shapes such as sheets of cells also repair themselves. Capacity for self-repair is an emergent property derived from, but not specified by, the rule sets used to generate these virtual tissues.
authors.affiliation: Crowley Davis Research, 280 South Academy Ave, Eagle, ID 83616, USA.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otter
authors.forename: Cap
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petschulat
authors.forename: Ullysses
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Eoff
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Menten
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Crowley
mesh_terms: D002477:Cells; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D012984:Software; D014481:United States