A theoretical model of neural maturation during the spinal cord neurogenesis

Cellular differentiationis a tightly regulated process involving intricate network of interacting signaling and transcription factors. Signaling information provides the extracellular cue interpreted by the transcription factorto drive cellular response, but cross regulation between signaling and transcription factorprovides the complexity to the system making it robust and stable. Differential equation based mathematical models provide an important theoretical tool to understand the behavior of these intricate networks. Here we have used differential equation based models to understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of a signal- transcription factorgene networks controlling spinal cord cell maturation. We show that the behavior of dynamic signaling information and downstream transcriptional readout depends upon the strength of interaction among network partners. Our results supports the idea that signaling factors provides spatio-temporal cues to transcription network that ultimately determines the response. Finally, our results outline the possible interaction conditions that could explain observed in vivo development patterns.