Modelling Biological Processes with Block- Oriented Simulation Systems

Differential equations which describe biological systems can generally only be solved, if at all, by assuming idealizing initial and boundary conditions. The treatment of such equations by simulation methods is thus of growing imprtance. Block-oriented simulation systems, which invole much less work than the writing of special programs in a higher programming language, are convenient tools for modelling continuous systems, especially with respect to non-linear components and delays. In this contribution the advantages of a particular block-oriented simulation system (improved version of MISS as described in GOTT76) using a robust stiff integrator are discussed. Here it is applied to two biological processes: one simple example from population dynamics and one from molecular biology.