General Monte Carlo Computer Simulation of Subcellular Biochemical Signaling

小行星9603611 MCell是一个通用的软件工具，允许用户准确地模拟活细胞进行的各种信号传导过程。 许多细胞分泌信号分子，这些信号分子被其他细胞表面的受体分子检测到。 由于这涉及信号分子在细胞之间的距离上的扩散，因此有必要考虑细胞的形状和分子的位置，以准确预测信号的速度和强度。MCell的独特之处在于它的通用性，以及它使用随机数和概率来模拟细胞信号的方式，即所谓的“蒙特卡罗”方法。MCell已经被用来模拟突触，突触是一种特殊的微观结构，在神经细胞（称为神经元）之间进行通信。 它还可以用于细胞之间和细胞内的更一般的细胞信号传导，而不仅仅是神经元，因此它将对那些对细胞如何分裂以及这一过程如何在癌症中被颠覆等问题感兴趣的科学家有用。 MCell最初将由一组科学家进行测试，这些科学家希望用它来回答他们在研究神经元之间信号传递时出现的问题。 这将有助于使程序更容易使用，更灵活地应用于更广泛的生物和化学问题。 将举办两个教育讲习班，向科学家教授如何使用MCell，并交流想法和用MCell获得的成果。

9603611 Sejnowski MCell is a general purpose software tool that allows users to accurately simulate a wide variety of the signaling processes carried out by living cells. Many cells secrete signal molecules that are detected by receptor molecules on the surfaces of other cells. Since this involves diffusion of the signal molecule over a distance between the cells, it is necessary to take into account the shapes of the cells and the locations of the molecules to accurately predict the speed and strength of signaling. MCell is unique in its generality and in the way it simulates cellular signaling using random numbers and probabilities, a so-called "Monte Carlo" method. MCell has already been used to simulate synapses, which are specialized microscopic structures where communication takes place between nerve cells, called neurons. It can also be used for more general cellular signaling between and within cells, not just neurons, so it will be useful to a wide range of scientists who are interested in problems such as how cells divide and how this process may be subverted in the case of cancer. MCell will be tested initially by a group of scientists who want to use it to answer questions that arise in their research into signaling between neurons. This will help in making the program easier to use and more flexible in its application to an even wider range of biological and chemical problems. Two educational workshops will be held to teach scientists how to use MCell and to exchange ideas and results obtained with MCell.