Modeling Protein Turnover: A Module for Teaching Modeling

Abstract

The tendency for science is to reduce large questions or systems into smaller postulates which can be examined through experimentation. But in order to understand how the system works, the experimenter must be able to take bits of information from experiments and piece them back together to define the system. A model can provide the framework to describe the system, to determine what questions to ask, which information is needed, and if the new knowledge improves the understanding or prediction of how the system functions. A simple model of protein turnover by Waterlow et al. (1978) is used in this chapter to illustrate the modeling process.