Further study is made of the topological model framework for cell simulations that was introduced by Matela & Fletterick (1979 , 1980 . The role that cell-cell interactions play in development is studied via processes such as cell growth, cell division, cell movement, cell adhesion, cell di erentiation, cell death, and the process of chemical di usion. Two phenomena are employed in simple applications of the framework: cell cleavage and chemotactic cell movement. A model for the rst steps of neural di erentiation in the developing visual system of the Drosophila is introduced in a more comprehensive case study. The strengths and weaknesses of the topological approach are discussed.
A topological model was introduced by Duvdevani-Bar and Segel REF .
On Topological Simulations in Developmental Biology
Journal of Theoretical Biology
Biology