Mathematical model for cell signaling developed
May 28, 2004 | Source: KurzweilAI
A new mathematical model will help researchers understand “cell signaling” and learn how single atoms travel along the circuitous pathways in a cell. It may allow researchers to study biochemistry at the atomic level.
The model is a new approach to look at percolation — the flow of a liquid or small particle through a porous material. In the simulation, materials pass through fields of complex, three-dimensional shapes.
The researchers will use their findings in a larger study that will deploy sensor proteins inside a cell where the nanoscale devices will track the paths of ions.
The model reveals how the sensors might interact with the miniscule ions that contribute to such diseases as stroke, cardiovascular disease and cancer. With the proper experimental design, the researchers may be able to watch fundamental chemical reactions — at the molecular level — as they occur in living cells.