Some computational models at the cellular level.
A number of viewpoints on how a cell can be modelled are discussed in this paper in light of the ability it has to process information. The paper begins with a very brief summary of four general types of computation: sequential, parallel, distributed, and emergent. These form the general framework from which a number of comparisons are made. Several metaphors are introduced to enable reflections to be made about cellular computational properties. The most important metaphor, namely the cell as a machine, is discussed, and then a number of other ideas are introduced that complement much current thinking in this area. The idea of networks or circuits in the cell is then developed, as this provides a means of describing the mechanisms within a machine. Following on from this, three further metaphors are applied in order to overcome certain limitations in current machine thinking, cell-as-society, cell-as-text, and cell-as-field.
Department of Computer Science, University of Liverpool, UK.
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D000818:Animals; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D004247:DNA / Q000502:physiology; D004463:Ecology; D004798:Enzymes / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000502:physiology; D013598:Systems Theory
D004798:Enzymes; D004247:DNA