Hysteresis and bistability in a realistic model for -driven oscillations

¹ Department of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Nijmegen Geert Grooteplein 21, 6525 EZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
² Departments of Biochemistry and Cell Physiology, University of Nijmegen Geert Grooteplein Zuid 30, 6525 AD Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Corresponding author: jtorres@onsager.ugr.es

Received: 17 November 2000
Accepted: 13 June 2001

Abstract

We present a new model for inositol triphosphate -induced cytosolic oscillations in non-excitable cells. The model includes the various in- and efflux pathways reported to exist in these cells. In particular, it features the complex regulation of the release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by cytosolic and in the ER. Bifurcation analysis revealed that the model accurately predicts the cytosolic dynamics in a typical non-excitable cell. Diffusional coupling of this model in a two-dimensional network shows hysteresis and bistability in its collective dynamics. Depending on the strength of the diffusion constant, we find traveling or spiral waves as solutions of this system.