QSB: Quantitative Simulation of Cell Migration in Porous Biomaterials

这个项目的目标是获得对合成多孔材料中迁移细胞行为的定量理解。具体来说，这需要理解(i)多孔微结构（平均孔径，内表面积，孔孔相关长度），（ii）通过扩散（扩散系数）的兴奋剂，如生长因子和其他细胞间信号分子的分子运输，（iii）细胞运输（最大速度，持久性，分散性），以及（iv）细胞对兴奋剂的反应（趋化性和趋化作用）的同时影响。观察到的细胞群通过多孔介质的迁移速度。这将通过在空间非均匀的3-D域中开发一个离散的、概率的细胞运动模型来实现，包括细胞对兴奋剂分子的时间依赖性浓度场的反应和影响。该模型将应用于三维多孔基质中血管生成的模拟，其具体目标是了解吻合可能性（即两个芽融合形成一个环）对微结构参数和描述细胞信号产生和接收的参数的敏感性。该项目的结果和结论将作为课程模块纳入高级运输和数值方法课程。

Abrams 0331191The goal of this project is to gain a quantitative understanding of the behavior of migrating cells in synthetic porous materials. Specifically, this requires understanding the simultaneous effects of (i) the porous microarchitecture (mean pore size, internal surface area, pore-pore correlation length), (ii) molecular transport of stimulants, such as growth factors and other cell-to-cell signaling molecules, via diffusion (diffusivities), (iii) cell transport (maximum speed, persistence, dispersion), and (iv) cell response to stimulants (chemotaxis and chemokinesis), on the observed migration speed of a cell population through the porous medium. This will be achieved through the development of a discrete, probabilistic model of cell motion in spatially inhomogeneous 3-D domains, incorporating cell response to and influence on time-dependent concentration fields of stimulant molecules. The model will be applied to simulation of angiogenesis in three-dimensional porous matrices, where specific goals are understanding the sensitivity of the likelihood of anastomosis (i.e., fusing of two sprouts to form a loop) on microarchitectural parameters and parameters describing cell signal production and reception. Results and conclusions from the project will be incorporated as course modules in advanced transport and numerical methods courses.