Mathematical Techniques for Understanding Platelet Regulation and the Development of New Pharmacological Approaches

Mathematical and computational modeling is currently in the process of becoming an accepted tool in the arsenal of methods utilized for the investigation of complex biological systems. For some problems in the field, like cellular metabolic regulation, neural impulse propagation, or cell cycle, progress is already unthinkable without use of such methods. Mathematical models of platelet signaling, function, and metabolism during the last years have not only been steadily increasing in their number, but have also been providing more in-depth insights, generating hypotheses, and allowing predictions to be made leading to new experimental designs and data. Here we describe the basic approaches to platelet mathematical model development and validation, highlighting the challenges involved. We then review the current theoretical models in the literature and how these are being utilized to increase our understanding of these complex cells.