title: A mathematical model of cell population dynamics with autophagy response to starvation.
abstract: In this paper, we study the role of autophagy in yeast cell population dynamics in response to starvation by a mathematical model based on the logistic growth model. We analytically study the boundedness of solutions, and the existence and stability of equilibrium states under general biologically acceptable assumptions. Finally, we perform numerical studies for Saccharomyces cerevisiae response to starvation with autophagy. The results show that autophagy is valuable in maintaining cell population in starvation, and attenuating population fluctuations in response to perturbations in environmental nutrients. Furthermore, we show that proper level autophagy promotes cell survival through the inhibition of cell death by autophagy as well as the secretion of nutrients from autophagic cells, however excessive autophagy can decrease cell population due to autophagic cell death.
authors.affiliation: Zhou Pei-Yuan Center for Applied Mathematics, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Huiqin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Zhou Pei-Yuan Center for Applied Mathematics, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China. Electronic address: jzlei@tsinghua.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jinzhi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lei
mesh_terms: D001343:Autophagy / Q000502:physiology*; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013217:Starvation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Autophagy; Cell population; Logistic growth model; Nutrient