A mathematical framework for understanding the spontaneous emergence of complexity applicable to growing multicellular systems
Fig 5
Examples of positional information increase during C.elegans embryonic development.
(a). Positional information and potential information are estimated at each step of the development of the C.elegans embryo, from the fertilized egg to the 200-cell stage. The cell state is defined by the binarized gene expression profiles. Different states are marked by different colors, and named by the lower case of the first cell entering this state. (b). ABa cell transitions from the old cell state “ab” to the new cell state “aba” because it is not in contact with P2 cell during the 4-cell stage. (c). At the 12-cell stage, cell ABarp inherited the cell state "aba" and changed to "abarp" upon contact with C cell. Although the cell ABpra is also in contact with the C cell, its inherited cell state is "ab", so its cell state does not change.