Structured Biological Modelling A New Approach to Biophysical Cell Biology

About this book

Structured Biological Modelling presents a straightforward introduction for computer-aided analysis, mathematical modelling, and simulation of cell biological systems. This unique guide brings together the physiological, structural, molecular biological, and theoretical aspects of the signal transduction network that regulates growth and proliferation in normal and tumor cells. It provides comprehensive survey of functional and theoretical features of intracellular signal processing and introduces the concept of cellular self-organization. Exemplified by oscillatory calcium waves, strategies for the design of computer experiments are presented that can assist or even substitute for time-consuming biological experiments. The presented minimal model for proliferation-associated signal transduction clearly shows the alterations of the cellular signal network involved in neoplastic growth. This book will be useful to cell and molecular biologists, oncologists, physiologists, theoretical biologists, computer scientists, and all other researchers and students studying functional aspects of cellular signaling.

Contents

Preface Holistic Approaches for Data Acquisition in Cell Biology-The Basis for SBM Holistic Versus Molecular Biological Methods: A Fundamental Complementarity Between Experimental Strategies Selected Minimal-Invasive Techniques for Holistic Data Acquisition in Cell Biology Analytical Light Microscopy Analytical Electron Microscopy Further Analytical Techniques with Relevance for SBM Image Analysis Cellular Biosensors: Powerful Electrical Devices for the Detection of Biomolecular Signals Structured Biological Modelling (SBM)-Technique and Applications The SBM Cycle Preliminary Remarks about the Modelling of Biological Systems Structured Analysis Mathematical Specification of the DFD Model Stochastic Simulation of the Mathematical Model SBM Applied to Intracellular Ca2+ Oscillations The Experimental Basis Critical Discussion of Minimal Models for Intracellular Ca2+ Oscillations Microscopic View of Ca2+ Oscillators Represented by Stochastic Models: The Stochastic Two-Pool Oscillator A SBM Model for Oscillatory Intracellular Ca2+ Waves in Nonexcitable Cells Minimal Model of the Cellular Signal Transduction Network The Cell Cycle Modules of the Intracellular Signal Network Structured Analysis of Proliferation-Associated Cell Signaling The Minimal Model of the Mitogenic Signal Transduction Network: Discussion and Outlook Emergence of Self-Organization in Tumor Biology Brief Phenomenology of Self-Organized Cellular Structures Physical Preliminaries Phase Transitions in Cell Cycle and Neoplastic Growth Neoplastic Growth as a Process of Cellular Self-Organization? The Hierarchy of Biological Systems: Microenvironmental Hydrogen Ion Concentration as Central Order Parameter for Invasive Tumor Growth Summary and Outlook References

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