2nd International ICST Conference on Bio-Inspired Models of Network, Information, and Computing Systems

Research Article

Molecular Communication through Gap Junction Channels: System Design, Experiments and Modeling

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  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/ICST.BIONETICS2007.2365,
        author={Tadashi Nakano and Tatsuya Suda and Takako Koujin and Tokuko Haraguchi and Yasushi Hiraoka},
        title={Molecular Communication through Gap Junction Channels: System Design, Experiments and Modeling},
        proceedings={2nd International ICST Conference on Bio-Inspired Models of Network, Information, and Computing Systems},
        proceedings_a={BIONETICS},
        year={2008},
        month={8},
        keywords={Synthetic biological systems  calcium signaling  gap junction channels  molecular communication},
        doi={10.4108/ICST.BIONETICS2007.2365}
    }
    
  • Tadashi Nakano
    Tatsuya Suda
    Takako Koujin
    Tokuko Haraguchi
    Yasushi Hiraoka
    Year: 2008
    Molecular Communication through Gap Junction Channels: System Design, Experiments and Modeling
    BIONETICS
    ICST
    DOI: 10.4108/ICST.BIONETICS2007.2365
Tadashi Nakano1,*, Tatsuya Suda1,*, Takako Koujin2,*, Tokuko Haraguchi2,*, Yasushi Hiraoka2,*
  • 1: Department of Computer Science Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences University of California, Irvine
  • 2: Kobe Advanced ICT Research Center National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
*Contact email: tnakano@ics.uci.edu, suda@ics.uci.edu, koujin@nict.go.jp, tokuko@nict.go.jp, yasushi@nict.go.jp

Abstract

Molecular communication is engineered biological communication that allows nanomachines to communicate through chemical signals. Nanomachines are small scale biological devices that either exist in nature or are artificially engineered from biological materials, and that perform simple functions such as sensing, processing, and actuation. As nanomachines are too small and simple to communicate through a traditional communication means (e.g. electromagnetic waves), molecular communication provides a mechanism for nanomachines to communicate by propagating molecules that represent information. In this paper, we propose to explore biological cells for engineering a molecular communication system. Its system characteristics and key networking services are first discussed, and then our current status of experimental and modeling studies is briefly reported.