Bursting: A Case Study in Multiple-Scale Modeling and Emergent Behavior

Bursting is a complex oscillatory phenomenon observed in the electrical behavior of a variety of neurons and endocrine cells.  Bursting is characterized by groups of action potentials separated by periods of quiescence.  Bursting plays important roles in communication between cells, pattern generation, and synchronization.  In this talk, I will discuss how mathematical models are used to describe and understand (i) bursting oscillations at different time scales at the level of a single cell, and (ii) emergent properties at the level of populations of coupled cells.