Mathematical Prediction Of 'On-Off' Switches In Cell Division Proven

A team of Virginia Tech researchers has experimentally verified the predictions of a mathematical model concerning the regulation of irreversible transitions into and out of mitosis (the division of genetic material during the cell cycle). The commitment to mitosis must be an all-or-nothing decision; otherwise deleterious mutations result. This research highlights the power of pairing experimental and computational biology to understanding complex processes. Mathematical modeling of the cell cycle and other biological events may someday lead to previously unidentified targets for therapy of cancer and other diseases.