Gireg Desmeulles, Dominique Dupré, Vincent Rodin and Laurent Misery.
Multi-agents computer simulation: towards a new way of
research in allergy and immunodermatology.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Elsevier, 121(6):1570, December 2003.
Abstract:
The object of our study is to supply to the researchers in allergology and
immunodermatology a technical platform of computer simulations using the
multi-agents approach (individual-based approach) in order to develop an in
virtuo experimentation laboratory of biological processes. The adopted
computer approach proposes to model a biological system thanks to the
concepts of agent (individual : cell), environment, interaction, organization
and user (biologist). A computer agent is an autonomous entity able perpetually
to perceive its immediate environment, to decide which action to realize and
finally to achieve this action acting on its environment.
We progress in the development of a multi-agents model of the allergic
reaction, allowing to consider simple in virtuo experiments. This kind
of modeling has the advantage of allowing a simple description
of more or less complex interactions between cells.
We will now speak of agent-cell. Several types of agent-cells
(Lymphocytes B,T, ...) can thus be modelled within a multi-agent system
modelling an immunological reaction. As for them, the interactions can be
modelled through the exchange of messages between agents. These messages
can be assimilated to the exchange of chemical messengers (Interleukines,
Interferons y) between cells.
We will present the first results obtained thanks to a multi-agent simulation
engine using SBML (Systems Biology Markup Language). SBML is a standardized
description language allowing a nondata processing specialist to simply
describe biochemical reactions. The presented simulations results
will concern the binding between histamine and its receptor.
The interest of this approach is either to test hypotheses
(e.g., which is the action of a new molecule on a reaction?) or to work on
pathologies for which there is no in vivo animal model or in vitro model
thus working on an in virtuo computer model.
[doi:10.1111/j.1523-1747.2003.12655.x]
[Desmeulles03c.pdf]