Asymmetric cell division and its integration with other developmental processes for artificial evolutionary systems

Abstract

Artificial evolutionary techniques are more and more coupled with mechanisms abstracted from developmental biology. Artificial cells endowed with genetic regulatory networks were used to evolve and develop simulated creatures. This paper reports on the evolution of a simple moving creature using developmental mechanisms such as asymmetric cell division, genetic regulation and cell adhesion and phys- ical interactions between cells. Surprisingly, artificial creatures were evolved able to move using only genetic regulatory networks without the need to employ neural controllers.