The same notation can be interpreted in completely different ways. In the proposed book, we will emphasize the system aspects of biology. We will introduce the cell as a massively parallel processing system. The pathways in this system have varying degrees of connectivity. Through selection of advantageous mutations by evolution, the cellular networks gained the ability to recognize patterns and respond accordingly.
Cellular networks are robust and can often withstand damage to several pathways.
Although the book discusses the various modes of regulation of cell activity and communication, we emphasize the fact that one cannot interpret studies of a single linear pathway in isolation. Rather, one should consider the influence of the experimental manipulation upon the network as a whole. An increasing amount of evidence points to the connectivity of signaling and genetic regulatory circuits. A chapter of the proposed book deals with the interaction between living organisms and the environment. Most cancers and heart diseases are the result of complex interactions among many different gene products.