Understanding dynamics using sensitivity analysis: caveat and solution.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Parametric sensitivity analysis (PSA) has become one of the most commonly used tools in computational systems biology, in which the sensitivity coefficients are used to study the parametric dependence of biological models. As many of these models describe dynamical behaviour of biological systems, the PSA has subsequently been used to elucidate important cellular processes that regulate this dynamics. However, in this paper, we show that the PSA coefficients are not suitable in inferring the mechanisms by which dynamical behaviour arises and in fact it can even lead to incorrect conclusions.

Results

A careful interpretation of parametric perturbations used in the PSA is presented here to explain the issue of using this analysis in inferring dynamics. In short, the

SUBMITTER: Perumal TM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3070647 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature