An Enhanced Cluster-based Network Model for Calcium Signaling

Nanonetwork is involved with a set of nanoscale components and their cooperative communication. Integrated with the biological units, molecular communication contributes to areas such as therapeutics, environment, food safety, and agriculture. In contrast to the Brownian motion of massive molecules and the DNA sequence transportation carried by flagellated bacterium, calcium signaling has a multinode structure and requires relatively uncomplicated implementation methods. The amplitude and frequency of the calcium waves vary due to different stimulations. The waves traverse the cellular network, while this process relies on the condition of gap junctional channel (GJC) and the extracellular circumstances. By controlling the permeability of the GJC and inhibiting the ATP receptors on the cell membrane, the calcium wave could be directed. In this paper, we propose a cluster-based network model which is composed of cells and nanosensors utilizing the properties of calcium signaling. The characterizations and advantages of the network model are presented along with the comparison against the biological experiment results. The comparison indicates that our proposed network model not only correctly simulates the biological behavior but also shows how the biological communication can be enhanced via external intervention.