Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Localizing Protein in 3D Neural Stem Cell Culture: a Hybrid Visualization Methodology
Published on: December 19, 2010
Non-local concepts and models in biology
1Institute of Theoretical Dynamics, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Abstract:
In this paper, we consider local and non-local spatially explicit mathematical models for biological phenomena. We show that, when rate differences between fast and slow local dynamics are great enough, non-local models are adequate simplifications of local models. Non-local models thus avoid describing fast processes in mechanistic detail, instead describing the effects of fast processes on slower ones. As a consequence, non-local models are helpful to biologists because they describe biological systems on scales that are convenient to observation, data collection, and insight. We illustrate these arguments by comparing local and non-local models for the aggregation of hypothetical organisms, and we support theoretical ideas with concrete examples from cell biology and animal behavior.
Related Concept Videos
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Pharmacokinetic Models: Overview
There are three primary types of models: empirical, compartment, and physiological. Empirical models, with minimal assumptions,...
Mechanistic Models: Overview of Compartment Models
Pharmacokinetic Models: Comparison and Selection Criterion
Physiological models take a detailed approach by considering specific molecular processes. They can predict drug distribution, metabolism, and elimination changes, providing a comprehensive understanding of how drugs interact with the body.
Natural and Artificial Concepts
Phylogenetic Species Concept in Microbiology

