Oscillations in glycolysis, cellular respiration and communication

Abstract

In an attempt to understand oscillatory phenomena in chemical, subcellular and cellular systems, the mechanisms of oscillation as well as the general dynamics of glycolysis, cellular respiration and cyclic-AMP-controlled oscillation in the slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum have been studied. The enzymic sources of the oscillations have been identified with glycolysis as well as for the slime mould, and appropriate mathematical models have been developed. The primary reaction mechanism of mitochondrial oscillations is not yet known in detail. However, the studies show unequivocally that the conditions for the generation of oscillations can be summarized for all cases in four common statements: