Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Synthetic Criticality in Cellular Brains

Version 1 : Received: 20 October 2021 / Approved: 21 October 2021 / Online: 21 October 2021 (09:47:37 CEST)

How to cite: Sole, R.; Conde, N.; Guillamon, A.; Maull, V.; Pla, J.; Sardanyes, J.; Vidiella, B. Synthetic Criticality in Cellular Brains. Preprints 2021, 2021100303. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202110.0303.v1 Sole, R.; Conde, N.; Guillamon, A.; Maull, V.; Pla, J.; Sardanyes, J.; Vidiella, B. Synthetic Criticality in Cellular Brains. Preprints 2021, 2021100303. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202110.0303.v1

Abstract

Cognitive networks have evolved to cope with uncertain environments in order to make reliable decisions. Such decision making circuits need to respond to the external world in efficient and flexible ways, and one potentially general mechanism of achieving this is grounded in critical states. Mounting evidence has shown that brains operate close to such critical boundaries consistent with self-organized criticality (SOC). Is this also taking place in small-scale living systems, such as cells? Here we explore a recent model of engineered gene networks that have been shown to exploit the feedback between order and control parameters (as defined by expression levels of two coupled genes) to achieve a SOC state. We suggest that such SOC motif could be exploited to generate adaptive behavioral patterns and might help design fast responses in synthetic cellular and multicellular organisms.

Keywords

criticality; evolution; brains; behavior; cells; gene networks

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Neuroscience and Neurology

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