Stochastic models of cotransport (Q5285791)

In order to describe chemical reaction schemes the involved chemical species are considered as ensembles of particles of given numbers, and concentrations are assumed to be represented by the probabilities that randomly picked particles belong to a given species. Moreover, time is discretisized. This way discrete Boltzmann equations are constructed, which, if a heat particle is included to balance energy, can serve as a dynamical model for the chemistry of liquids that obeys Arrhenius relation. This model is used to describe cotransport through membranes for several different situations: A cotransported ion \(B\) using an ion \(A\) with both ions moving in the same direction (symport), symport and antiport with catalyst, symporters in series and parallel and symporters in reservoirs. In any case the equilibria are determined and their stability is analysed. The coupling of cotransporters to reservoirs leads to an ``ill- posed'' problem of finite difference equations.