Pathway Resources at the Rat Genome Database: A Dynamic Platform for Integrating Gene, Pathway and Disease Information

The set of interacting molecules representing a biological pathway or network is a central concept in biology. It is within the pathway context that the functioning of individual molecules acquires purpose and it is the integration of these molecular circuitries that underlies the functioning of biological systems. In order to provide the research community with a dynamic platform for accessing pathway information, the Rat Genome Database (RGD – http://rgd.mcw.edu) is using a multi-tiered approach. In this chapter, the pathway resources that RGD currently offers are presented. Issues covered include: the biological pathway, the concept and the ontology, pathway literature curation and annotation of genes, interactive pathway diagrams, and tools and resources to access and navigate between pathway data. A case study is presented; future directions are discussed. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60960-491-2.ch014