Modelling Morphogenesis: From Single Cells to Crawling Slugs

Abstract

We present a three-dimensional hybrid cellular automata (CA)/partial differential equation (PDE) model that allows for the study of morphogenesis in simple cellular systems. We apply the model to the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum "from single cells to crawling slug". Using simple local interactions we can achieve the basic morphogenesis with only three processes: production of and chemotaxis to cAMP and cellular adhesion. The interplay of these processes causes the amoebae to spatially self-organize leading to the complex behaviour of stream and mound formation, cell sorting and slug migration all without any change of parameters during the complete morphogenetic process.