Multiscale Competency and Bioelectric Networks
- Bodies are multiscale competency architectures, with problem-solving intelligence at every level (molecular networks, organs, swarms).
- Definitive regenerative medicine requires communicating anatomical goals to cells in “morphospace” (the space of possible forms).
- Cells us a native language called morphoceuticals.
- Endogenous bioelectric networks are a tractable interface for top-down control of cell behavior. Tools can read and write pattern memories in this “protocognitive medium.”
Agential Material and Engineering Approaches
- Traditional engineering uses passive materials; regenerative medicine works with *agential* material (cells with their own goals). This is like building with dogs instead of Legos.
- Different problems require different levels of solution (e.g., orthopedic surgeon vs. psychoanalyst). Bodies exhibit a “spectrum of persuadability.”
- Cellular collectives’ position on this spectrum is unknown; experiments, not assumptions, are needed.
- Higher level processes can often supervene to fix the mistakes and defects found in lower levels of organisms, the ability to train will become useful here.
Scaling of Minds and Biological Plasticity
- Biological development is a continuous scaling of minds, from single cells to complex cognition. No “magic” moment separates physics from mind.
- Turing understood that body self-assembly and mind scaling are the same problem.
- Even gene regulatory networks exhibit basic learning; Intelligence exists pre-nervous system.
- Biological systems exhibit amazing plasticity (e.g., ectopic eyes providing vision, planarian memory regeneration, caterpillar-butterfly memory remapping).
Anatomical Morphospace and the Anatomical Compiler
- “Morphospace” is the multi-dimensional space of all possible shapes.
- The genome encodes molecular *hardware*, not the final body plan. Cells “know” what to build and when to stop.
- The “anatomical compiler” (long-term goal) would translate a desired form into stimuli to guide cells, not micromanage cell placement.
- Current limitations: We cannot predict morphology from genome sequences (e.g., frog-axolotl chimeras). We are at the “hardware” stage of biological programming (like computer science in the 1940s-50s).
Biological Software and Collective Intelligence
- “Biological software” refers to the intelligence that can be exploited, similar to software on reprogrammable hardware.
- Intelligence (William James): The ability to reach the same goal by different means (a cybernetic definition).
- Cellular swarms show collective intelligence, adapting to achieve anatomical goals despite variations (e.g., polyploid newt kidney tubules, embryo splitting, limb regeneration).
- Biological structures exhibit homeostasis which reduce error by correcting when target is deviated.
Pattern Memories and Bioelectric Control
- Developmental biology is a goal-directed process (like a thermostat) moving towards a “target morphology.” This challenges traditional “bottom-up” emergence views.
- Pattern memories are stored, not just in DNA, and can be rewritten, affecting the “target morphology” (e.g., two-headed planaria). This is analogous to brain scans (much scans).
- Bioelectric networks (ion channels, gap junctions) are similar to neural networks, but operate in anatomical morphospace. Tools have been developed to read and write these patterns.
- Early stage patterns form like “the electric face”.
- Voltage patterns are *instructive*, not just disruptive. They can induce organ formation (e.g., ectopic eyes) and reveal hidden cell competency.
- By inducing electrical patterns of potassium, gut cells were able to be converted to functioning eyes.
Applications and Future Directions
- Cells exhibit properties which make them ideal for regeneration; They know where to build, how much to build, and when to stop building.
- Bioelectric manipulations can be used for limb regeneration in frogs (non-regenerating species), and work is underway towards mammal applications (Morphoceuticals).
- Immortal planaria provide key examples where a cell can divide and regenerate a new head, or two new heads depending on biometrical patterns.
- Organisms have limits from their lineage.
- Altering bioelectric circuits in planaria can change head number/shape, demonstrating reprogrammable anatomical memory.
- Biometical networks can be rewired by manipulating existing patterns to create entirely new sturctures; oak leaves and their bio-engineers was cited as a notable exmaple.
- Computational models of bioelectric patterns are being developed, enabling rational interventions (e.g., correcting brain defects in tadpoles even with genetic mutations).
- Cancer can be seen as a failure mode of the scaling of goals, with cells reverting to individualistic behavior. Bioelectric reconnection can suppress tumor formation.
Future Medicine and Protocognitive Capacity
- Anthropods made from humans’ lungs display capacities to assist nearby, hurt tissue, they have intelligent agency despite a very primitive function.
- The capacity of human lungs goes beyond their usual purposes, highlighting the amazing intelligence available.
- Future medicine will likely resemble psychiatry more than chemistry, exploiting the protocognitive capacity of tissues (using tools inspired by neuroscience).
- Future interventions could involve “agential implants” (like anthrobots) and “morphoceuticals” targeting anatomical intelligence.
- Future medicines and the treatment should evolve.
- The speaker believes an apporach focused around sharping patterns found in memory is useful for anti-aging.
- Research needs: In vivo voltage imaging, better ion channel drugs, better physics computational models, mapping voltage states in health/disease, and exploring non-electrical signaling (mitogenic radiation, etc.).
- They believe high-level interventions through biometrical will allow the same rat training principle as rats: no micromanaging the parts (rat neurons, bio-organ electrical states), reward and punish to achieve a general behavior.