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What do genes mean? 
Abstract:
Some think the genome is a passive database that contains information
used by the cell when it needs it. Others view the genome as active. For
them the genome is the regulatory control center of all life. This active
view sees the genome as a program that systematically constructs the body
of the organism and regulates its processes. We will contrast the active
and passive views by going deeper into the meaning of genomes and their
genes. Gene networks link genes. But even networks must be interpreted
by the cell to give them meaning. How do cells give meaning? How do cells
control their activity? How do embryos grow and organize themselves? Multicellular
systems biology uses computer modeling and simulation to give us a deeper
understanding of the roles played by genes and genomes in living systems.
These roles include embryo development, tissue regeneration, wound healing,
and evolution. Even diseases such as cancer can be understood as pathological
developmental and evolutionary processes. The meaning of genes and genomes
begins to emerge in this wider context.
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Cellnomica