Evolving developmental programs for adaptation, morphogenesis, and self-repair

Abstract

A method for evolving a developmental program inside a cell to create multicellular organisms of arbitrary size and characteristics is described. The cell genotype is evolved so that the organism will organize itself into well defined patterns of differentiated cell types (e.g. The French Flag). In addition the cell genotypes are evolved to respond appropriately to environmental signals that cause metamorphosis of the whole organism. A number of experiments are described that show that the organisms exhibit emergent properties of self-repair and adaptation.