title: Feed-forward and feedback mechanisms in a dynamic model of human T cell development and regulation.
abstract: We describe a computational model of human T cell regulatory dynamics. We used this model to simulate changes in T cell pool numbers and for studying feedback and feed-forward responses in and among these pools. The pools identified were the bone marrow stem cell compartment, early and late thymocyte compartments and the peripheral compartment of mature T lymphocytes. Simulated data showed variable intercompartmental strengths indicative of a range of sensitivities to feedback regulation and respective variable feed-forward responses. The results compare well to known clinical and experimental data, rendering the computational model a good basis for further research in T cell development and regulation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Computational Biomedicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston - SHIS, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. mbrandt@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Gerhard R F
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.forename: Guanyu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L Maximilian
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Buja
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division; D003198:Computer Simulation; D025461:Feedback, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D018448:Models, Immunological; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*