title: Short-term information processing, long-term responses: Insights by mathematical modeling of signal transduction. Early activation dynamics of key signaling mediators can be predictive for cell fate decisions.
abstract: How do cells interpret information from their environment and translate it into specific cell fate decisions? We propose that cell fate is already encoded in early signaling events and thus can be predicted from defined signal properties. Specifically, we hypothesize that the time integral of activated key signaling molecules can be correlated to cellular behavior such as proliferation or differentiation. The identification of these decisive key signal mediators and their connection to cell fate is facilitated by mathematical modeling. A possible mechanistic linkage between signaling dynamics and cellular function is the directed control of gene regulatory networks by defined signals. Targeted experiments in combination with mathematical modeling can increase our understanding of how cells process information and realize distinct cell fates.
authors.affiliation: Division Systems Biology of Signal Transduction, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Klingmüller
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schilling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002450:Cell Communication; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014157:Transcription Factors; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases