Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E 50th St, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA.
Phys Biol. 2012 Aug;9(4):045006. doi: 10.1088/1478-3975/9/4/045006. Epub 2012 Aug 7.
Spontaneous symmetry breaking leading to polarization of the cell is a key step initiating many morphogenetic processes. In addition to experimental studies, model-based theoretical description helps to understand the conditions and limitations of this process. Such description is limited usually to linear stability analysis supplied by the numerical simulations to establish the dependence of the polarization dynamics on the model parameters. Here we describe the application of a powerful weakly nonlinear analysis method to a minimalistic model characterized by the conservation of mass of the protein governing the polarization dynamics.
自发对称破缺导致细胞极化是启动许多形态发生过程的关键步骤。除了实验研究，基于模型的理论描述有助于理解这个过程的条件和限制。这种描述通常仅限于数值模拟提供的线性稳定性分析，以确定极化动力学对模型参数的依赖性。在这里，我们描述了一种强大的弱非线性分析方法在一个最小模型中的应用，该模型的特征是控制极化动力学的蛋白质的质量守恒。
