The first Maya script I made for release to the general public has the totally not catchy name:
Smooth Proxy Radial Symmetry. Find it here on Highend 3D (if you’re running an ancient version of Maya):
https://www.highend3d.com/maya/script/cm_smoothproxyradialsymmetry-for-maya
Maya had the ability to use Smooth Proxy with bilateral axis symmetry which is good for working on objects like bodies and faces, but not so good for objects like wheel rims, flowers, or starfish that have radial symmetry. So this let you work on a simplified segment of the object and the script would have an instanced, merged, and smoothed final object that would update as you worked on the simplified poly cage.
I was definitely I thinking about my courses in developmental biology when I was using test geometry while working on the tool.