Simulating quantitative cellular responses using asynchronous threshold Boolean network ensembles.

ABSTRACT:

Background

With increasing knowledge about the potential mechanisms underlying cellular functions, it is becoming feasible to predict the response of biological systems to genetic and environmental perturbations. Due to the lack of homogeneity in living tissues it is difficult to estimate the physiological effect of chemicals, including potential toxicity. Here we investigate a biologically motivated model for estimating tissue level responses by aggregating the behavior of a cell population. We assume that the molecular state of individual cells is independently governed by discrete non-deterministic signaling mechanisms. This results in noisy but highly reproducible aggregate level responses that are consistent with experimental data.

Results

We developed an asynchronous t

SUBMITTER: Jack J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3224452 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature