This book discusses the mathematical simulation of biological systems,
with a focus on the modeling of gene expression, gene regulatory
networks and stem cell regeneration. The diffusion of morphogens is
addressed by introducing various reaction-diffusion equations based on
different hypotheses concerning the process of morphogen gradient
formation. The robustness of steady-state gradients is also covered
through boundary value problems.
The introduction gives an overview of the relevant biological concepts
(cells, DNA, organism development) and provides the requisite
mathematical preliminaries on continuous dynamics and stochastic
modeling. A basic understanding of calculus is assumed.
The techniques described in this book encompass a wide range of
mechanisms, from molecular behavior to population dynamics, and the
inclusion of recent developments in the literature together with
first-hand results make it an ideal reference for both new students and
experienced researchers in the field of systems biology and applied
mathematics.