Control of Stochastic and Induced Switching in Biophysical Networks.

ABSTRACT: Noise caused by fluctuations at the molecular level is a fundamental part of intracellular processes. While the response of biological systems to noise has been studied extensively, there has been limited understanding of how to exploit it to induce a desired cell state. Here we present a scalable, quantitative method based on the Freidlin-Wentzell action to predict and control noise-induced switching between different states in genetic networks that, conveniently, can also control transitions between stable states in the absence of noise. We apply this methodology to models of cell differentiation and show how predicted manipulations of tunable factors can induce lineage changes, and further utilize it to identify new candidate strategies for cancer therapy in a cell death pathway model.

SUBMITTER: Wells DK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4594957 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul-Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature