title: Version control of pathway models using XML patches.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Computational modelling has become an important tool in understanding biological systems such as signalling pathways. With an increase in size complexity of models comes a need for techniques to manage model versions and their relationship to one another. Model version control for pathway models shares some of the features of software version control but has a number of differences that warrant a specific solution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We present a model version control method, along with a prototype implementation, based on XML patches. We show its application to the EGF/RAS/RAF pathway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our method allows quick and convenient storage of a wide range of model variations and enables a thorough explanation of these variations. Trying to produce these results without such methods results in slow and cumbersome development that is prone to frustration and human error.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK. pzs@dcs.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saffrey
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D011381:Programming Languages; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor