title: Temporal variability in a system of coupled mitotic timers.
abstract: Cell proliferation is considered a periodic process governed by a relaxation timer. The collective behavior of a system composed of three identical relaxation oscillators in numerically studied under the condition that diffusion of the slow mode dominates. We demonstrate: (1) the existence of three periodic regimes with different periods and phase relations and an unsymmetrical, stable steady-state (USSS); (2) the coexistence of in-phase oscillations and USSS; (3) the coexistence of periodic attractors; and (4) the emergence of a two-loop limit cycle coexisting with both in-phase oscillations and a stable steady-state. The qualitative reasons for such a diversity and its possible role in the generation of cell cycle variability are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Theoretical Biophysics, P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, RAS, Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Volkov
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Stolyarov
mesh_terms: D001683:Biological Clocks; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological