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Short‐term information processing, long‐term responses: Insights by mathematical modeling of signal transduction
Author(s) -
Schneider Annette,
Klingmüller Ursula,
Schilling Marcel
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.201100172
Subject(s) - cell fate determination , signal transduction , term (time) , key (lock) , function (biology) , biology , cell signaling , computational biology , systems biology , cell function , signal (programming language) , computer science , microbiology and biotechnology , biological system , cell , gene , genetics , transcription factor , ecology , physics , programming language , quantum mechanics
How do cells interpret information from their environment and translate it into specific cell fate decisions? We propose that cell fate is already encoded in early signaling events and thus can be predicted from defined signal properties. Specifically, we hypothesize that the time integral of activated key signaling molecules can be correlated to cellular behavior such as proliferation or differentiation. The identification of these decisive key signal mediators and their connection to cell fate is facilitated by mathematical modeling. A possible mechanistic linkage between signaling dynamics and cellular function is the directed control of gene regulatory networks by defined signals. Targeted experiments in combination with mathematical modeling can increase our understanding of how cells process information and realize distinct cell fates.