Petri Net Based Model Validation in Systems Biology

摘要

This paper describes the thriving application of Petri net theory for model validation of different types of molecular biological systems. After a short introduction into systems biology we demonstrate how to develop and validate qualitative models of biological pathways in a systematic manner using the well-established Petri net analysis technique of place and transition invariants. We discuss special properties, which are characteristic ones for biological pathways, and give three representative case studies, which we model and analyse in more detail. The examples used in this paper cover signal transduction pathways as well as metabolic pathways.