Shapes and self-movement in protocell systems.
The effect of shapes on self-movement has been studied with an extended model of autopoiesis. Autopoiesis is known as a theory of self-boundary maintenance. In this study, not only the autopoietic generation of the self-boundary, but also the emergence of self-motility, has been examined. As a result of computer simulations, it has been found that different membrane shapes cause different types of self-movement A kind of chemotaxis has been observed for some shapes. The mechanism of chemotaxis is discussed by studying the internal chemical processes within the shape boundaries.
Department of General Systems Sciences, The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. ksk@sacral.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Keisuke
K
Suzuki
Takashi
T
Ikegami
D002462:Cell Membrane; D002465:Cell Movement; D048430:Cell Shape; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008954:Models, Biological