On simulating strongly interacting, stochastic population models. II. Multiple compartments

Abstract

In Wick and Stelf [Math. Biosci. 187 (2004) 1], we showed how to simulate a pair of strongly interacting biological populations evolving stochastically over many orders-of-magnitude. Here we generalize the method to any (finite) number of compartments; transitions including births, deaths, progression through life-stages, and mitoses; and arbitrary rate functions. We illustrate the technique for a seven-compartment model of the cellular immune response to a viral infection.