PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Kutscher, Brett AU - Devreotes, Peter AU - Iglesias, Pablo A. TI - Local Excitation, Global Inhibition Mechanism for Gradient Sensing: An Interactive Applet AID - 10.1126/stke.2192004pl3 DP - 2004 Feb 10 TA - Science's STKE PG - pl3--pl3 VI - 2004 IP - 219 4099 - http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/2004/219/pl3.short 4100 - http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/2004/219/pl3.full SO - Sci. STKE2004 Feb 10; 2004 AB - We have proposed a model in which cells detect gradients of chemoattractant by balancing a fast local excitation and a slower global inhibition. To illustrate this general mechanism, we have developed an interactive applet that mimics laboratory experiments in which either spatially homogeneous or heterogeneous stimuli of chemoattractant are applied.