  The emergence of multicellularity and developmental programs are among the
major problems of evolutionary biology. Traditionally, research in this area
has been based on the combination of data analysis and experimental work on one
hand and theoretical approximations on the other. A third possibility is
provided by computer simulation models, which allow to both simulate reality
and explore alternative possibilities. These in silico models offer a powerful
window to the possible and the actual by means of modeling how virtual cells
and groups of cells can evolve complex interactions beyond a set of isolated
entities. Here we present several examples of such models, each one
illustrating the potential for artificial modeling of the transition to
multicellularity.
