MP Modelling of Glucose-Insulin Interactions in the Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test

Abstract

The Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test is an experimental procedure used to study the glucose-insulin endocrine regulatory system. An open problem is to construct a model representing simultaneously the entire regulative mechanism. In the past three decades, several models have appeared, but they have not escaped criticisms and drawbacks. In this paper, the authors apply the Metabolic P systems theory for developing new physiologically based models of the glucose-insulin system, which can be applied to the IVGTT. Ten data-sets obtained from literature were considered and an MP model was found for each, which fits the data and explains the regulations of the dynamics. Finally, each model is analysed to define a common pattern which explains, in general, the action of the glucose-insulin control system.