Bistability: a universal theme

Abstract

T he concept of bistability is well-established in the study of dynamical systems [1]. The key feature of a dynamical system is that the state of the system changes as a function of time. The living cell offers several examples of dynamical systems. Some of these are: the cell cycle, signaling pathways and networks of interacting genes synthesizing proteins. In all these systems, events unfold as a function of time. Dynamical systems of various types have been extensively studied in the physical and mathematical sciences. In many cases, experiments supplement theoretical efforts. The theoretical studies make use of a rich arsenal of concepts, tools and techniques of dynamical systems theory [1