Modeling dynamics of cell population molecule expression distribution

This article introduces a novel approach to the study of the dynamics of the molecule expression level of large-size cell populations, whose goal is to understand how individual cell behavior propagates to population dynamics. A hybrid automaton framework is used which allows the simultaneous modeling of the formation and dissociation of cell-to-cell conjugations, and the molecular processes they control. Serial encounters among the cells are described by a stochastic approach under which the cell distribution over the state space is modeled and the dynamics of the state probability density functions is determined. This work is motivated by the investigation of T-cell receptor expression distribution. These receptors are essential for the antigen recognition and the regulation of the immune system. The results are illustrated with examples and validated with real data.