Classification of infinitesimal homeostasis in four-node input-output networks.

Abstract

An input-output network has an input node [Formula: see text], an output node o, and regulatory nodes [Formula: see text]. Such a network is a core network if each [Formula: see text] is downstream from [Formula: see text] and upstream from o. Wang et al. (J Math Biol 82:62, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00285-021-01614-1 ) show that infinitesimal homeostasis can be classified in biochemical networks through infinitesimal homeostasis in core subnetworks. Golubitsky and Wang (J Math Biol 10:1-23, 2020) show that there are three types of 3-node core networks and three types of infinitesimal homeostasis in 3-node core networks. This paper uses the theory developed in Wang et al. (2021) to show that there are twenty types of 4-node core networks (Theorem1.3) and seventeen types of infinitesimal homeostasis in 4-node core networks (Theorem1.7). Biological contexts illustrate the classification theorems and show that the theory can be an aid when calculating homeostasis in specific biochemical networks.