Dynamic modeling for Ca2+-mediated NFAT Activation in stem cells induced by ATP

A dynamic model is proposed to quantify the relationship among extracellular agonist ATP, intracellular Ca²⁺ dynamics and NFAT activation in stem cells. Based upon the dynamic model, the intracellular Ca²⁺ and NFAT dynamics in stem cells induced by different kinds of ATP stimuli are investigated through numerical simulation studies. The simulation results not only reproduce intracellular Ca²⁺ and NFAT dynamics stimulated by constant concentration of ATP, which were observed in the previous experimental studies in the literature, but also predict some new dynamic behaviors of intracellular Ca²⁺ and NFAT in stem cells in response to time-varying ATP stimulation. The proposed dynamic model provides not only more insights into the ATP-induced intracellular Ca²⁺ and NFAT dynamics but also a quantitative way to regulate the intracellular Ca²⁺ and NFAT dynamics by controlling the extracellular agonist ATP stimulation in stem cells.