1. Introduction: Membrane Computing — What It Is and What It Is Not.- 2. Prerequisites.- 2.1 The Biological Membrane.- 2.2 The Neuron.- 2.3 Elements of Computability.- 2.4 Bibliographical Notes.- 3. Membrane Systems with Symbol—Objects.- 3.1 A Simple Class.- 3.2 Two Examples.- 3.3 The Power of the Simple Class.- 3.4 Basic Extensions.- 3.5 A Formal Definition.- 3.6 Further Extensions.- 3.7 Systems with External Output.- 3.8 Bibliographical Notes.- 4. Trading Evolution for Communication.- 4.1 Systems with Symport/Antiport.- 4.2 Computational Universality.- 4.3 Controls on the Use of Rules.- 4.4 Following the Traces of Objects.- 4.5 Systems with Carriers.- 4.6 Bibliographical Notes.- 5. Structuring the Objects.- 5.1 Rewriting Membrane Systems.- 5.2 Some Variants and Their Power.- 5.3 Splicing Membrane Systems.- 5.4 Contextual Membrane Systems.- 5.5 Insertion—Deletion Membrane Systems.- 5.6 Bibliographical Notes.- 6. Networks of Membranes.- 6.1 The Splicing Case.- 6.2 Using Symport/Antiport Rules.- 6.3 Neural-like Networks of Membranes.- 6.4 Bibliographical Notes.- 7. Trading Space for Time.- 7.1 Complexity Classes for Membrane Systems.- 7.2 Using Membrane Division.- 7.3 Using Membrane Creation.- 7.4 Using String Replication.- 7.5 Using Pre-computed Resources.- 7.6 Bibliographical Notes.- 8. Further Technical Results.- 8.1 Decidability Results.- 8.2 Unary Systems.- 8.3 A Representation of Context—free Languages.- 8.4 Valuating the String—Objects.- 8.5 Systems with Enhanced Membrane Handling.- 8.6 Brief Excursion Through the Literature.- 9. (Attempts to Get) Back to Reality.- 9.1 Getting Closer to the Cell by Energy Accounting.- 9.2 Getting Closer to the Cell by Gemmation.- 9.3 Getting Closer to the Cell: Bilayer Membranes.- 9.4 In Silico Implementations.- 9.5Artificial Life Applications.- 9.6 A Simulation of Photosynthesis.- Open Problems.- Universality Results.- References.

Like quantum computing or DNA computing, membrane computing is an unconventional model of computation associated with a new computing paradigm. The field of membrane computing was initiated in 1998 by the author of this book; it is a branch of natural computing inspired by the structure and functioning of the living cell and devises distributed parallel computing models in the form of membrane systems, also called P systems.
This book is the first monograph surveying the new field in a systematic and coherent way. It presents the central notions and results: the main classes of P systems, the main results about their computational power and efficiency, a complete bibliography, and a series of open problems and research topics. Thus, the book is indispensible reading for anybody interested in molecular computing.

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