Title: Computational modelling and simulation of the immune system

Authors: J.K. Kalita, K. Chandrashekar, R. Hans, P. Selvam, M.K. Newell

Addresses: Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado, 1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80917, USA. ' Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado, 1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80917, USA. ' Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado, 1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80917, USA. ' Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado, 1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80917, USA. ' Department of Biology, University of Colorado, 1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80917, USA

Abstract: We have developed a software system called SIMISYS that models and simulates aspects of the human immune system based on the computational framework of cellular automata. We model tens of thousands of cells as exemplars of the significant players in the functioning of the immune system, and simulate normal and simple disease situations by interpreting interactions among the cells. SIMISYS 0.3, the current version, models and simulates the innate and adaptive components of the immune system. The specific players we model are the macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, natural killer cells, B cells, T helper cells, complement proteins and pathogenic bacteria.

Keywords: modelling; disease simulation; human immune system; anthrax infection; bioinformatics; cellular automata; cell interaction; macrophages; dendritic cells; neutrophils; natural killer cells; B cells; T helper cells; complement proteins; pathogenic bacteria.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBRA.2006.009194

International Journal of Bioinformatics Research and Applications, 2006 Vol.2 No.1, pp.63 - 88

Published online: 09 Mar 2006 *

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