title: Positive feedback in cellular control systems.
abstract: Feedback loops have been identified in a variety of regulatory systems and organisms. While feedback loops of the same type (negative or positive) tend to have properties in common, they can play distinctively diverse roles in different regulatory systems, where they can affect virulence in a pathogenic bacterium, maturation patterns of vertebrate oocytes and transitions through cell cycle phases in eukaryotic cells. This review focuses on the properties and functions of positive feedback in biological systems, including bistability, hysteresis and activation surges.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Mitrophanov
authors.forename: Eduardo A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Groisman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006706:Homeostasis; D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological; D009865:Oocytes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D049490:Systems Biology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology