Title
Emergent Dynamics Of Thymocyte Development And Lineage Determination
Abstract
Experiments have generated a plethora of data about the genes, molecules, and cells involved in thymocyte development. Here, we use a computer-driven simulation that uses data about thymocyte development to generate an integrated dynamic representation-a novel technology we have termed reactive animation ( RA). RA reveals emergent properties in complex dynamic biological systems. We apply RA to thymocyte development by reproducing and extending the effects of known gene knockouts: CXCR4 and CCR9. RA simulation revealed a previously unidentified role of thymocyte competition for major histocompatability complex presentation. We now report that such competition is required for normal anatomical compartmentalization, can influence the rate of thymocyte velocities within chemokine gradients, and can account for the disproportion between single-positive CD4 and CD8 lineages developing from double-positive precursors.
Year
DOI
Venue
2007
10.1371/journal.pcbi.0030013
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
Keywords
Field
DocType
biological systems,gene knockout,computer simulation,chemotaxis,complex dynamics,emergent properties,chemokines,cell differentiation,major histocompatibility complex,cell proliferation,algorithms,double positive
Chemotaxis,Biology,Gene knockout,CCR9,Cell migration,Cell biology,Compartmentalization (psychology),Thymocyte,Cellular differentiation,Major histocompatibility complex
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
3
1
1553-734X
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
17
1.16
4
Authors
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Sol Efroni1998.10
David Harel297031953.76
Irun R. Cohen329621.62