A mathematical understanding of regulation, and, in particular, the role of feedback, has been central to the advance of the physical sciences and technology. In this article, the framework provided by systems biology is used to argue that the same can be true for molecular biology. In particular, and using basic modular methods of mathematical modelling which are standard in control theory, a set of dynamic models is developed for some illustrative cell signalling processes. These models, supported by recent experimental evidence, are used to argue that a control theoretical approach to the mechanisms of feedback in intracellular signalling is central to furthering our understanding of molecular communication. As a specific example, a MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signalling pathway is used to show how potential feedback mechanisms in the signalling process can be investigated in a simulated environment. Such ‘what if’ modelling/simulation studies have been an integral part of physical science research for many years. Using tools of control systems analysis, as embodied in the disciplines of systems biology, similar predictive modelling/simulation studies are now bearing fruit in cell signalling research.
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June 2005
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Conference Article|
June 01 2005
A systems- and signal-oriented approach to intracellular dynamics
O. Wolkenhauer;
O. Wolkenhauer
1
* Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Rostock, Albert Einstein Strasse 21, 18059 Rostock, Germany
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed (email olaf.wolkenhauer@uni-rostock.de).
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S.N. Sreenath;
S.N. Sreenath
† Systems Biology Center of Excellence Initiative, Olin Building, Room 608, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106-7071, U.S.A.
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P. Wellstead;
P. Wellstead
‡ Hamilton Institute, NUI Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland
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M. Ullah;
M. Ullah
* Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Rostock, Albert Einstein Strasse 21, 18059 Rostock, Germany
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K.-H. Cho
K.-H. Cho
§ College of Medicine and Korea Bio-MAX Center, Seoul National University, San 4-8, Bongcheon 7-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-818, South Korea
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
January 21 2005
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2005 The Biochemical Society
2005
Biochem Soc Trans (2005) 33 (3): 507–515.
Article history
Received:
January 21 2005
Citation
O. Wolkenhauer, S.N. Sreenath, P. Wellstead, M. Ullah, K.-H. Cho; A systems- and signal-oriented approach to intracellular dynamics. Biochem Soc Trans 1 June 2005; 33 (3): 507–515. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0330507
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