Bifurcation analysis of regulatory modules in cell biology [Elektronische Ressource] / von Maciej J. Swat

Bifurcation Analysis of Regulatory Modules inCell BiologyDISSERTATIONzur Erlangung des akademischen Gradesdoctor rerum naturalium(Dr. rer. nat.)im Fach Biophysikeingereicht an derMathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakult¨at IHumboldt-Universita¨t zu BerlinvonHerr Dipl.-Phys. Maciej J. Swatgeboren am 03.07.1967 in Wroc law/PolenPrasident der Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin:¨ ¨Prof. Dr. Jurgen Mlynek¨Dekan der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultat I:¨Prof. Thomas Buckhout, PhDGutachter:1. Prof. Dr. Hanspeter Herzel2. Priv.-Doz. Dr. Andreas Deutsch3. Prof. Dr. Thomas Bleyeingereicht am: 19.Mai 2005Tag der mundlichen Prufung: 3.November 2005¨ ¨AbstractThe thesis emphasizes the importance of small modules as key components ofbiological networks. Especially, those which perform positive feedbacks seemto be involved in a number of regulatory units. Processes like gene regula-tion, differentiation and homeostasis often require autoregulation. Therefore,detailed knowledge of dynamics of small modules becomes nowadays an im-portant subject of study.We analyze two biological systems: one regarding cell cycle regulation andone immunological example related to T-cell activation. Their underlyingnetworks can be dissected into subunits with well defined functions. Thesemodules decide about the behavior of the global network. In other words,they have decision taking function, which is inherited by the whole system.