An Agent Oriented Software Engineering Approach for the Adult Stem-Cell Modeling, Simulation and Visualization

Resumo. Este artigo descreve os primeiros resultados obtidos na modelagem, simulacao e visualizacao do comportamento de celulas-tronco. Um modelo conceitual da celula foi gerado e, com base nesse modelo e nos processos do ciclo de vida, divisao e diferenciacao celular, modelou-se uma ferramenta de simulacao baseada em agentes. Em paralelo e considerando o mesmo modelo conceitual e processos, foi desenvolvido um simulador modelado em COOPN de modo a possibilitar a comparacao dos resultados obtidos atraves das duas abordagens. Acredita-se que a simulacao do comportamento das celulas-tronco seja um primeiro passo para facilitar a pesquisa do comportamento de celulas-tronco. Abstract. This paper presents the first results achieved towards an agent-based adult stem cell behavior modeling, simulation and visualization. We developed a cell conceptual model on which the model is based and we built the agent-based model and simulation considering the cell life-cycle and the basic processes related to the cell division and differentiation. Based in the same conceptual model, we also modeled and simulated the behavior through the COOPN technique to compare the results. We believe that stem cell simulation behavior is a first step towards the stem cell therapy costs minimization. With regard to the medicine point of view, if the model is sufficiently detailed and accurate, it serves as a reference, a guide for interpreting experimental results, and a powerful means of suggesting new hypotheses. Moreover, the simulation lets physicians test experimentally unfeasible scenarios and can potentially reduce experimental costs. It's our belief that the Agent-Oriented Software Engineering (AOSE) provides clean design in the modeling phase and efficient numerical routines in the simulation phase. Those techniques address the currents drawback of other existents approaches related to the model's semantic (it is more expressive), and to the model and software reuse (Jennings, 2000). Furthermore, the dynamic structures present in biological systems can