Non-deterministic Explanation of Immune Responses: A Computer Model

Abstract

Classically, immune responses are considered to be antigen-driven, implying a direct or indirect pattern recognition. This deterministic, instructionalist view of the immune system relies on molecular recognition; hence, the occurrence of immune responses depends exclusively on the differentiation between “Self” and “Non-Self” molecules[1,2]. A different approach is to consider immune responses as the emergent phenomena of a complex dynamic system as it is understood in System Biology[3]. Here, I present a computer simulation in NetLogo4.0.3[4] based on a theory that considers the emergence of inflammation as the defining phenomena of an immune response. Whereas the theory recognizes that microscopic events such as molecular recognition are part of the dynamics of the system, it maintains that immune phenomena cannot be understood from the study of individual events alone. The theoretical basis for this work is described elsewhere [5].