title: Agent-based modeling of the immune system: NetLogo, a promising framework.
abstract: Several components that interact with each other to evolve a complex, and, in some cases, unexpected behavior, represents one of the main and fascinating features of the mammalian immune system. Agent-based modeling and cellular automata belong to a class of discrete mathematical approaches in which entities (agents) sense local information and undertake actions over time according to predefined rules. The strength of this approach is characterized by the appearance of a global behavior that emerges from interactions among agents. This behavior is unpredictable, as it does not follow linear rules. There are a lot of works that investigates the immune system with agent-based modeling and cellular automata. They have shown the ability to see clearly and intuitively into the nature of immunological processes. NetLogo is a multiagent programming language and modeling environment for simulating complex phenomena. It is designed for both research and education and is used across a wide range of disciplines and education levels. In this paper, we summarize NetLogo applications to immunology and, particularly, how this framework can help in the development and formulation of hypotheses that might drive further experimental investigations of disease mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electric, Electronics and Computer Engineering, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiacchio
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Marzio
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0231-7653
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pennisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Santo
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3533-2972
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pappalardo
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D011381:Programming Languages