Evolving an Artificial Regulatory Network for 2D Cell Patterning

Cell pattern formation has a central role in both artificial and natural development. This paper provides results from experiments in which a genetic algorithm (GA) was used to evolve an artificial regulatory network (ARN) to produce predefined bidimensional cell patterns through the selective activation of genes. The GA worked by evolving the gene regulatory network that was used to control cell reproduction. Cellular automata (CA) were chosen as models for cell patterning. After the final chromosomes were obtained, a single cell in the middle of the CA lattice was allowed to reproduce controlled by the ARN found by the GA, until the desired pattern was formed