  We study the dynamical properties of small regulatory networks treated as non
autonomous dynamical systems called modules when working inside larger networks
or, equivalently when subject to external signal inputs. Particular emphasis is
put on the interplay between the internal properties of the open systems and
the different possible inputs on them to deduce new functionalities of the
modules. We use discrete-time, piecewise-affine and piecewise-contracting
models with interactions of a regulatory nature to perform our study.
