title: Petri net-based method for the analysis of the dynamics of signal propagation in signaling pathways.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cellular signaling networks are dynamic systems that propagate and process information, and, ultimately, cause phenotypical responses. Understanding the circuitry of the information flow in cells is one of the keys to understanding complex cellular processes. The development of computational quantitative models is a promising avenue for attaining this goal. Not only does the analysis of the simulation data based on the concentration variations of biological compounds yields information about systemic state changes, but it is also very helpful for obtaining information about the dynamics of signal propagation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This article introduces a new method for analyzing the dynamics of signal propagation in signaling pathways using Petri net theory. The method is demonstrated with the Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) regulation network. The results constitute temporal information about signal propagation in the network, a simplified graphical representation of the network and of the signal propagation dynamics and a characterization of some signaling routes as regulation motifs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal, P.O. Box 6079, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, H3C 3A7, Canada. simon.hardy@polymtl.ca
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Pierre N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Robillard
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008954:Models, Biological; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020543:Proteome