Registered: Jan 2004
Posts: 3

Hello,

I'm particularly interested in the following subjects :
- expression of Hox genes and development of embryo members
- place of the cells in the embryo layers and its differentiation into specific tissue
- mutations of the Hox genes and the evolution

I would like to know if NKS methods were applied in the research on that points and what are the results?

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Registered: Aug 2003
Posts: 712

I think the basic answer to your question is that it has not really been tried yet. Some work has been done using NKS models for the growth of specific features, like differentiation of bone from surrounding tissue in the growth of a chicken's foot.

http://forum.wolframscience.com/sho...?s=&threadid=52

But whole body plans as the result of a simple developmental program, while certainly an idea that fits the NKS view of how things probably happen, hasn't been seriously investigated yet. It is a young field. It is a fine idea for something to explore, but you'd probably be the first to do so.

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Registered: Jan 2004
Posts: 3

Originally posted by Jason Cawley
I think the basic answer to your question is that it has not really been tried yet. Some work has been done using NKS models for the growth of specific features, like differentiation of bone from surrounding tissue in the growth of a chicken's foot.

http://forum.wolframscience.com/sho...?s=&threadid=52

But whole body plans as the result of a simple developmental program, while certainly an idea that fits the NKS view of how things probably happen, hasn't been seriously investigated yet. It is a young field. It is a fine idea for something to explore, but you'd probably be the first to do so.

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Registered: Jan 2004
Posts: 10

I'll start by saying I'm very familiar with NKS, I came here to critique a friend's idea in a different thread. But, modern ideas of genetics are very similar to the functions of a program. Different genes, whether they are regulatory or not, in a state of constant interaction with their environment, switching on and off based on a set of criteria (criteria physically encoded into the structure of the DNA itself). We see large brains as being more complex, but in terms of embryo development it simply requires the "build brain cells" gene to stay active a little longer. "Complex" results from simple inputs.

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Registered: Jan 2004
Posts: 3

Originally posted by Schroedinger
I'll start by saying I'm very familiar with NKS, I came here to critique a friend's idea in a different thread. But, modern ideas of genetics are very similar to the functions of a program. Different genes, whether they are regulatory or not, in a state of constant interaction with their environment, switching on and off based on a set of criteria (criteria physically encoded into the structure of the DNA itself). We see large brains as being more complex, but in terms of embryo development it simply requires the "build brain cells" gene to stay active a little longer. "Complex" results from simple inputs.

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