title: Stochastic-shielding approximation of Markov chains and its application to efficiently simulate random ion-channel gating.
abstract: Markov chains provide realistic models of numerous stochastic processes in nature. We demonstrate that in any Markov chain, the change in occupation number in state A is correlated to the change in occupation number in state B if and only if A and B are directly connected. This implies that if we are only interested in state A, fluctuations in B may be replaced with their mean if state B is not directly connected to A, which shortens computing time considerably. We show the accuracy and efficacy of our approximation theoretically and in simulations of stochastic ion-channel gating in neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Ohio 44106-4975, USA.
authors.forename: Nicolaus T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Schmandt
authors.forename: Roberto F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Galán
mesh_terms: D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D008390:Markov Chains; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008959:Models, Neurological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013269:Stochastic Processes