Cell-based simulation of dynamic expression patterns in the presomitic mesoderm.
J Theor Biol
; 248(1): 120-9, 2007 Sep 07.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-17575987
ABSTRACT
To model dynamic expression patterns in somitogenesis we developed a Java-application for simulating gene regulatory networks in many cells in parallel and visualising the results using the Java3D API, thus simulating the collective behaviour of many thousand cells. According to the 'clock-and-wave-front' model mesodermal segmentation of vertebrate embryos is regulated by a 'segmentation clock', which oscillates with a period of about 2h in mice, and a 'wave front' moving back with the growing caudal end of the presomitic mesoderm. The clock is realised through cycling expression of genes such as Hes1 and Hes7, whose gene products repress the transcription of their encoding genes in a negative feedback loop. By coupling the decay of the Hes1 mRNA to a gradient with the same features and mechanism of formation as the mesodermal Fgf8 gradient we can simulate typical features of the dynamic expression pattern of Hes1 in the presomitic mesoderm. Furthermore, our program is able to synchronise Hes1 oscillations in thousands of cells through simulated Delta-Notch signalling interactions.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Vertebrados
/
Simulação por Computador
/
Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento
/
Somitos
/
Mesoderma
/
Modelos Genéticos
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2007
Tipo de documento:
Article