A micro-sequenced CMOS model for cell signalling pathway using G-protein and phosphorylation cascade

Abstract

Communication between cells in multi-cellular organisms such as animals, humans and plants is essential for co-ordinating the organismic activities of fertilization, growth, survival and reproduction. This bio-chemical communication between trillions of cells in organisms can be more complex than the Internet. This paper develops a CMOS circuit model of signal reception and signal transduction within a cell in response to extra-cellular molecular signals. A micro-sequenced model has been developed where the signal transduction steps are clocked by circadian time intervals. The model converts the chemical signaling pathway into a CMOS multi-step logical transformation cascade transducing a received signal molecule into an activated cellular protein response. This modeling technique leads to understanding cellular malfunctions (diseases) in the form of logical (electrical) faults in a circuit.