Information network, tissue

Figure 2. Schematic of the information network approach to designing a tissue engineering scaffold by modifying polymer materials with peptides to achieve a desired response.

As with the DE lines, the CC lines give an indication about the level of characterization of a protein. The example provides experimentally verified information about the "function", the quatenary structure ("SUBUNIT"), the "SUBCELLULAR LOCATION" and the "TISSUE SPECIFICITY" of the protein. A description of the "disease (s) " known to be associated with a deficiency of the protein, a description of the "SIMILARITY" of the protein with other proteins, and a cross reference to network "DATABASE" resource(s) for this specific protein are also found. 

As shown in Fig. 1.1, the integration of pharmacogenomics and systems biology can help elucidate the mechanisms of diseases and drug actions at various levels and connect information between different levels. For example, altered genetic structure may cause malfunctions at the molecular level, which would influence the downstream interactions, pathways, and networks at the cellular level. Such changes may then lead to tissue or organ disorders that are disease phenotypes reflected as... 

All eucaryotic cells contain various proteins in their cytoplasm that interact to form mechanically stabilizing structures. The amounts of these proteins differ with cell type, and the structural elements - collectively referred to as the cytoskeleton -can be very labile. Labile transformations of cytoskeletal networks are involved in such essential biological phenomena as chromosome movement and cell division, intracellular material transport, shape changes relating to tissue development, and amoeboid-like locomotion (1-3). A great deal of work in recent years has led to the biochemical characterization of numerous cytoskeletal proteins(A) and the elucidation of their spatial localization within a cell(2). However, few quantifiable models yet exist that are appropriate for incorporating that information into notions of shape transformation and cell movement(5-8). 

Proteomics includes a variety of technologies that include differential protein display on gels, protein chips, quantitation of protein amoimts, analysis of post-translational modifications, characterization of protein complexes and networks and bioinformatics. All this information in combination with genome and phenotype studies will ultimately yield a comprehensive picture of a cellular or tissue proteome (Wasinger and Corthals 2002). 

We have presented information on the elastic and viscous stress-strain behaviors for a variety of different ECMs in preparation for relating changes in external loading and mechanochemical transduction processes. In order to determine the exact external loading in each tissue that stimulates mechanochemical transduction processes we must take into account the balance between passive loading incorporated into the collagen network in the tissue and active loading applied externally. Inasmuch as the passive load is different for each tissue and is also a function of age (the tension in tissues decreases with age), the net load experienced at the cellular level is difficult to calculate. 

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