A model for biological oscillations.

Abstract

A model and computation for oscillatory phenomena observed in some biological processes that use ion gradients across a membrane is presented. The model contains 2 main features: active H+ transport pathways in the membrane, and key enzymes having a pH-dependent activity profile and either translocating H+ from outside or producing H+ as a product. With this model a very long period of oscillations, as observed in mitochondrial and circadian rhythms, was quantitatively demonstrated.