Recently we introduced a model of symbiosis, Model-S, based on the evolution of seed patterns in Conway's Game of Life. In the model, the fitness of a seed pattern is measured by one-on-one competitions in the Immigration Game, a two-player variation of the Game of Life. Our previous article showed that Model-S can serve as a highly abstract, simplified model of biological life: (1) The initial seed pattern is analogous to a genome. (2) The changes as the game runs are analogous to the development of the phenome. (3) “Tournament selection in Model-S is analogous to natural selection in biology. (4) The Immigration Game in Model-S is analogous to competition in biology. (5) The first three layers in Model-S are analogous to biological reproduction. (6) The fusion of seed patterns in Model-S is analogous to symbiosis. The current article takes this analogy two steps further: (7) Autopoietic structures in the Game of Life (still lifes, oscillators, and spaceships—collectively known as ashes) are analogous to cells in biology. (8) The seed patterns in the Game of Life give rise to multiple, diverse, cooperating autopoietic structures, analogous to multicellular biological life. We use the apgsearch software (Ash Pattern Generator Search), developed by Adam Goucher for the study of ashes, to analyze autopoiesis and multicellularity in Model-S. We find that the fitness of evolved seed patterns in Model-S is highly correlated with the diversity and quantity of multicellular autopoietic structures.

最近我们介绍了一种共生模型，Model-S，基于康威生命游戏中种子模式的演变。在该模型中，种子模式的适应度通过移民游戏中的一对一比赛来衡量，移民游戏是生命游戏的两人变体。我们之前的文章表明，Model-S 可以作为一个高度抽象、简化的生物生命模型：（1）初始种子模式类似于基因组。(2) 游戏运行时的变化类似于现象组的发展。(3) “Model-S 中的比赛选择类似于生物学中的自然选择。(4) Model-S 中的移民博弈类似于生物学中的竞争。(5) Model-S中的前三层类似于生物繁殖。(6) Model-S中种子模式的融合类似于共生。当前的文章将这个类比更进一步：静物、振荡器和宇宙飞船（统称为灰烬）类似于生物学中的细胞。(8) 生命游戏中的种子模式产生了多种、多样的、协作的自创生结构，类似于多细胞生物生命。我们使用由 Adam Goucher 开发的用于研究灰烬的apgsearch软件（Ash Pattern Generator Search）来分析 Model-S 中的自体生成和多细胞性。我们发现 Model-S 中进化种子模式的适应度与多细胞自创生结构的多样性和数量高度相关。