Immune system modeling: The OO way

Abstract

This paper motivates the use of Object Oriented technologies such as OO programming languages, UML and Design Patterns in order to facilitate the development and the communication of immune system software modeling. The introduction justifies the need for immune computer models at different levels of abstraction and for various reasons: pedagogy, testing and study of emergent phenomena and quantitative predictions. Then the benefits allowed by adopting the OO way are further illustrated by simple examples of UML class, state and sequence diagrams and instances of Design Patterns such as the "Bridge" or the "State", helping to question and to clarify the immune objects and relationships. Finally an elementary clonal selection model, restricted to B cells, antibodies and antigens, and fully developed in the OO spirit is presented. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.