The AfCS seeks a comprehensive
understanding of cellular signaling networks, in all their spatial and
temporal complexity. Embarking on this journey will be facilitated by
assembling maps that can guide our research and trace our progress. Mapping
networks that include thousands of molecules will require many years of
exploration. To begin, we have assembled several crude maps that highlight
pathways of known importance in mouse macrophages, B lymphocytes, and
cardiac myocytes. These reference maps were designed to provide simple
guides to very small parts of the much more complex signaling network
of a cell. The maps allow you to link to more extensive information found
within our Molecule Pages. We recognize that each map is necessarily incomplete
and at best an inaccurate representation of the signaling machinery that
regulates a particular cell function. Pathways are context-dependent,
changing and evolving across different species, cell types, and environmental
conditions. Eventually, the AfCS will represent and model signaling networks
in much more complex formats, designed for generating testable hypotheses.
As we tackle the task of mapping the complex terrain of signaling networks,
we hope the crude modules presented here will guide us - and our readers
- to making more comprehensive and powerful tools for navigating regulatory
networks. To this end, we solicit from readers any criticisms or suggestions
they wish to offer. We are especially interested to identify overt mistakes
and molecules omitted from these maps. Suggestions, comments, and criticisms
should be sent to sambrano@cmp.ucsf.edu.
|
|