Abstract
This paper proposes the use of astrocytes to realize Boolean logic gates, through manipulation of the threshold of hbox {Ca}^{2+} ion flows between the cells based on the input signals. Through wet-lab experiments that engineer the astrocytes cells with pcDNA3.1-hGPR17 genes as well as chemical compounds, we show that both AND and OR gates can be implemented by controlling hbox {Ca}^{2+} signals that flow through the population. A reinforced learning platform is also presented in the paper to optimize the hbox {Ca}^{2+} activated level and time slot of input signals T_b into the gate. This design platform caters for any size and connectivity of the cell population, by taking into consideration the delay and noise produced from the signalling between the cells. To validate the effectiveness of the reinforced learning platform, a hbox {Ca}^{2+} signalling simulator was used to simulate the signalling between the astrocyte cells. The results from the simulation show that an optimum value for both the hbox {Ca}^{2+} activated level and time slot of input signals T_b is required to achieve up to 90% accuracy for both the AND and OR gates. Our method can be used as the basis for future Neural–Molecular Computing chips, constructed from engineered astrocyte cells, which can form the basis for a new generation of brain implants.
Highlights
This paper proposes the use of astrocytes to realize Boolean logic gates, through manipulation of the threshold of 2+
In order to ensure a high reliability of the logic operation, we use a Reinforced Learning platform illustrated in Fig. 2, which will take as input the culture of astrocyte cells and based on endto-end Ca2+ signaling through the culture, will fine tune two parameters which are the optimal Ca2+ activated level to be engineered into the cells and the optimal transmission period (T b )
In the case of intercellular signalling, the noise is dependent on the topology of the astrocyte cell population as Ca2+ ions can randomly propagate between the cells in the population
Summary
This paper proposes the use of astrocytes to realize Boolean logic gates, through manipulation of the threshold of 2+. Synthetic biology has facilitated capabilities to engineer biological cells that can lead to novel applications in medicine as well as in b iotechnology[1,2,3,4]. This engineering process is realized through the synthesis of genetic circuits that results in new cell functions; an example is controlling cellular intra and inter-communications. Engineering molecular communication between the cells through engineered genetic circuits can produce logic gates with multiple computational functions, but can enable reconfigurability of the logic operations[15,16,17,18]. Synthetic circuits to control molecular communications use ligand-responsive transgene systems that can respond to a particular stimulus[12,23,24]; this can enable reconfiguration when specific signalling molecules activate the circuit
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