EpiLog: A software for the logical modelling of epithelial dynamics

F1000Res. 2018 Jul 27:7:1145. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.15613.2. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Cellular responses are governed by regulatory networks subject to external signals from surrounding cells and to other micro-environmental cues. The logical (Boolean or multi-valued) framework proved well suited to study such processes at the cellular level, by specifying qualitative models of involved signalling pathways and gene regulatory networks. Here, we describe and illustrate the main features of EpiLog, a computational tool that implements an extension of the logical framework to the tissue level. EpiLog defines a collection of hexagonal cells over a 2D grid, which embodies a mono-layer epithelium. Basically, it defines a cellular automaton in which cell behaviours are driven by associated logical models subject to external signals. EpiLog is freely available on the web at http://epilog-tool.org. It is implemented in Java (version ≥1.7 required) and the source code is provided at https://github.com/epilog-tool/epilog under a GNU General Public License v3.0.

Keywords: Cellular automaton; Hexagonal grid; Logical modelling; Multicellular regulatory networks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Epithelium / metabolism
  • Gene Regulatory Networks*
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological*
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Software*
  • Systems Biology*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by national funds through Fundação para Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) with reference PTDC/BEX-BCB/0772/2014, UID/CEC/50021/2013 and IF/01333/2013. PV was supported by grant PTDC/BEX-BCB/0772/2014 and PTDC/EIA-CCO/099229/2008. CR was supported by PTDC/BEX-BCB/0772/2014 and IF/01333/2013/CP1204/CT0001. Furthermore, CC and CR acknowledge support from the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.