Editing P system (section)

{{Short description|Computational model}}
: ''For the computer p-System, see [[UCSD p-System]].''

A '''P system''' is a computational [[Model (abstract)|model]] in the field of [[computer science]] that performs [[calculation]]s using a biologically inspired process. They are based upon the structure of biological [[cell (biology)|cells]], abstracting from the way in which [[chemical substance|chemicals]] interact and cross [[cell membranes]]. The concept was first introduced in a 1998 report<ref>{{cite book|last=Păun |first=Gheorghe|author-link=Gheorghe Paun|title=Computing with Membranes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lyzoAAAACAAJ|accessdate=16 December 2012|series=TUCS Report 208|year=1998|publisher=Turku Centre for Computer Science|isbn=978-952-12-0303-9}}</ref> by the computer scientist [[Gheorghe Paun|Gheorghe Păun]], whose last name is the origin of the letter [[P]] in 'P Systems'. Variations on the P system model led to the formation of a branch of research known as '[[membrane computing]].'

Although inspired by biology, the primary research interest in P systems is concerned with their use as a computational model, rather than for [[Mathematical biology|biological modeling]],<ref name="paun2002">{{cite journal |last=Păun |first=Gheorghe |author-link=Gheorghe Paun |author2=Grzegorz Rozenberg |year=2002 |title=A guide to membrane computing |journal=Theoretical Computer Science |volume=287 |issue=1 |pages=73–100 |doi=10.1016/S0304-3975(02)00136-6 |issn=0304-3975 |citeseerx=10.1.1.76.8425 }}</ref> although this is also being investigated.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Ardelean |first=Ioan |author2=Matteo Cavaliere |date=June 2003|title=Modelling biological processes by using a probabilistic p system software |journal=Natural Computing |volume=2|issue=2 |pages=173–197 |doi=10.1023/A:1024943605864 |issn=1567-7818}}</ref><ref name="paun2006">{{cite book|last=Păun|first=Gheorghe|title=Applications of Membrane Computing|year=2006|publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg|isbn=978-3-540-29937-0|pages=1–42|chapter=Introduction to Membrane Computing}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Nash |first=Anthony |author2=Sara Kalvala |date=2019|title=A P system model of swarming and aggregation in a Myxobacterial colony |journal=Journal of Membrane Computing |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=103–11 |doi=10.1007/s41965-019-00015-0|doi-access=free }}</ref>