The Department of Mathematical Sciences invites you to the thirteenth annual

Marden Lecture on Mathematics

Some Mathematical Models in Visual Transduction

presented by

Dr.  Emmanuele DiBenedetto

Centennial Professor of Mathematics

Vanderbilt University

Signal Transduction is the process by which signals originating outside a living cell cause functional changes in the interior of the cell by activating receptors located on the plasma membrane. These in turn activate cytoplasmic signaling molecules, termed second messengers.

A particular aspect of this class of phenomena is Visual Transduction in vertebrates. The outside signal is a photon hitting the rod outer segment. This causes a cascade of events by which light is transformed into a change in electrical current which in turn permits vision.

After briefly describing such a phenomenon we pose some mathematical questions naturally originating from the geometry/anatomy of the rod outer segment and the diffusion of second messengers within the cytoplasm, during visual transduction.

The mathematical theory of homogenization is relatively recent and originated from the need of understanding the physical properties of a medium with a fine periodic structure.

We will connect the mathematical theory of homogenization to some aspects of visual transduction and indicate how homogenization can be of help in generating a "predictive" theory of some aspects of visual transduction.

Dr. DiBenedetto is the director of the Biomathematics Study Group at Vanderbilt University.

Thursday, April 25, 2002
3:25 - 4:20 PM
Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
Room E180
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

This program is free and open to the public. Reception to follow in EMS E495A.
The lecture is sponsored by Miriam and Morris Marden Fund and
is co-sponsored by the Department of Mathematical Sciences.

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