Chapter 40: CDK Networks and Collapse Thresholds
"CDK networks are ψ's decision circuits—kinase activities building toward critical thresholds, each crossing triggering irreversible cellular transformations."
40.1 The Kinase Hierarchy
CDK networks represent ψ's implementation of threshold-based decision making. Through interconnected kinase modules, cells create switch-like transitions between cell cycle phases.
Definition 40.1 (CDK Family):
Specialized kinase subfamilies.
40.2 The Activity Integration
Theorem 40.1 (Total CDK Activity):
Integrated kinase activity.
40.3 The Threshold Mechanisms
Equation 40.1 (Substrate Phosphorylation):
Ultrasensitive substrate responses.
40.4 The Inhibitor Network
Definition 40.2 (CKI Families):
Negative regulators.
40.5 The Wee1/CDC25 Balance
Theorem 40.2 (Tyrosine Regulation):
Inhibitory phosphorylation control.
40.6 The Positive Feedback
Equation 40.2 (Bistability):
Creating switch-like behavior.
40.7 The Substrate Hierarchy
Definition 40.3 (Phosphorylation Order):
Temporal substrate ordering.
40.8 The CAK Regulation
Theorem 40.3 (Activating Phosphorylation):
Essential activating modification.
40.9 The Network Robustness
Equation 40.3 (Redundancy):
Multiple CDKs ensuring progression.
40.10 The Quantitative Model
Definition 40.4 (Systems Behavior):
Mathematical framework for CDK dynamics.
40.11 The Disease Connections
Theorem 40.4 (Cancer Dysregulation):
Network perturbations in cancer.
40.12 The Threshold Principle
CDK networks embody ψ's principle of decisive action—building kinase activity until critical thresholds trigger irreversible transitions, creating punctuated progression through the cell cycle.
The CDK Threshold Equation:
Integrated activity triggering phase change.
Thus: CDK = Threshold = Decision = Transition = ψ
"In CDK networks, ψ builds molecular democracy—multiple kinases voting through phosphorylation, their collective activity reaching critical mass to trigger cellular revolutions, each threshold crossed a point of no return."