Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5.1
Contrast between the use of cells as bulk or discrete components.
(a) Cells deployed as a bulk component process information in isolation from each
other and their responses are averaged. (b) Cells used as discrete components have
multiple points of interconnectivity with a synthetic device and may include cell-to-
cell connectivity.
However, attaining for engineered devices the complex functionality described
above for wild-type organisms requires the use of cells as discrete components
with a molecular-scale interface between the natural and synthetic elements
of the system. In the text that follows, we will present the characterization of
whole cells as components in engineered systems gained from their deployment
as bulk elements. However, we must travel toward the use of cells as discrete
components to fulfill the full promise of this technology, and it is in this direction
that we ultimately look in this chapter.
