Hydrodynamics of Self-Propelled Deformable Cells

PI：Bagchi，Prosenjit Proposal编号：1438255拟议工作的目标是研究利用其极易变形的膜移动的生物细胞的推进。细胞可以变形和延伸一个突起，称为伪足，通过流动内部细胞膜的特定方向，伪足被用来移动细胞。本文建议从流体力学的角度，结合高保真的计算模型、理论分析和实验测量来研究基于伪足的可变形细胞的推进。在对健康的影响方面，该项目可能为如何抑制恶性细胞的推进机制提供一个机械上的理解。虽然最近在非变形和非推进的植物细胞中对流动进行了流体力学分析，但在可变形细胞中流动、伪足动力学和运动活动之间的关系尚不清楚。联合PI建议开发一个多尺度的、由分子马达驱动的界面变形的3D计算模型。该模型将同时预测细胞的动态形状、流场和运动活动。同时，将在活的阿米巴细胞中进行微型PIV实验，以提取细胞内的两分量准瞬时速度场。通过对模拟和实验数据的分析，将探索变形细胞中流动的性质和来源，以及它与伪足动力学的关系。这一奖项由CBET部门的流体动力学项目获得，由数学科学部门的计算数学项目共同资助。

PI: Bagchi, ProsenjitProposal Number: 1438255The objective of the proposed work is to study the propulsion of biological cells that utilize their extremely deformable membrane to move. Cells can deform and extend a protrusion, called pseudopod, by streaming flow internally in a particular direction of the cell membrane, and the pseudopod is used to move the cell. This is a proposal to study the pseudopod-based propulsion of deformable cells from a fluid mechanical viewpoint using a combination of high-fidelity computational modeling, theoretical analysis and experimental measurements. In terms of impact on health, the project may provide a mechanistic understanding of how to inhibit propulsive mechanisms of malignant cells.While fluid mechanical analysis of the streaming flow has been carried out recently in plant cells, which are non-deforming and non-propulsive, the relationship between the streaming flow, pseudopod dynamics, and motor activity is unknown in deformable cells. The co-PIs propose to develop a multiscale, 3D computational model of the interface deformation driven by molecular motors. The model will predict simultaneously the dynamic cell shape, the flow field, and motor activity. In parallel, micro-PIV experiments will be performed in live amoeboid cells to extract the 2-component quasi-instantaneous intra-cellular velocity field. Using analysis of the simulation and experimental data, the nature and origin of the streaming flow in deforming cells, and its relation to pseudopod dynamics will be explored.This award by the Fluid Dynamics Program of the CBET Division is co-funded by the Computational Mathematics Program in the Division of Mathematical Sciences.