A Mathematical Model of Receptor-Mediated Apoptosis: Dying to Know Why FasL is a Trimer
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Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, 525 E. University, Ann Arbor, Mi 48109-1109
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Received:
01 April 2004
Accepted:
29 June 2018
Published:
01 July 2004
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MSC :
92C37.
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The scientific importance of understanding programmed cell death is
undeniable; however, the complexity of death signal propagation and
the formerly incomplete knowledge of apoptotic pathways has left this
topic virtually untouched by mathematical modeling. In this paper, we
use a mechanistic approach to frame the current understanding of
receptor-mediated apoptosis with an immediate goal of isolating the
role receptor trimerization plays in this process. Analysis and
simulation suggest that if the death signal is to be successful at low-receptor, high-ligand concentration, Fas trimerization is unlikely to
be the driving force in the signal propagation. However at high-receptor and low-ligand concentrations, the mathematical model
illustrates how the ability of FasL to cluster three Fas receptors can
be crucially important for downstream events that propagate the
apoptotic signal.
Citation: Ronald Lai, Trachette L. Jackson. A Mathematical Model of Receptor-Mediated Apoptosis: Dying to Know Why FasL is a Trimer[J]. Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering, 2004, 1(2): 325-338. doi: 10.3934/mbe.2004.1.325
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Abstract
The scientific importance of understanding programmed cell death is
undeniable; however, the complexity of death signal propagation and
the formerly incomplete knowledge of apoptotic pathways has left this
topic virtually untouched by mathematical modeling. In this paper, we
use a mechanistic approach to frame the current understanding of
receptor-mediated apoptosis with an immediate goal of isolating the
role receptor trimerization plays in this process. Analysis and
simulation suggest that if the death signal is to be successful at low-receptor, high-ligand concentration, Fas trimerization is unlikely to
be the driving force in the signal propagation. However at high-receptor and low-ligand concentrations, the mathematical model
illustrates how the ability of FasL to cluster three Fas receptors can
be crucially important for downstream events that propagate the
apoptotic signal.
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