[Cellular automata approach to biological pattern formation (I): the aggregation pattern in dictyostelium discoideum]

The investigation of the mechanism of biological pattern has been an important topic of life sciences, especially, of developmental biology, for a long time. It is an interdisciplinary problem and many researching data have been obtained and some theories have been structured from many points of view in science. However, up to now, the actual mechanism is still a fascinating puzzle and needs more studies. In this paper, we try to construct a cellular automata model of biological pattern. This model defines the individual model cells and their behaviors, cell-cell interactions, and cell-environment interactions. As an application, we present a new discrete model to simulate the aggregation phase of the development of Dictyostelium discoideum with the concept of "inducing switch".