2011 Special Issue: A multiphysical model of cell migration integrating reaction-diffusion, membrane and cytoskeleton

  • Authors:
  • Seigo Nonaka;Honda Naoki;Shin Ishii

  • Affiliations:
  • Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan;Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan;Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan and RIKEN Computational Science Research Program, Hirosawa 2-1, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan

  • Venue:
  • Neural Networks
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

Cellular motility is a complicated phenomenon that involves multiphysics, including the cytoskeleton, the plasma membrane and intracellular signal transduction. In this study, a hybrid computational model was developed for the simulation of whole-cell migration behaviors. The model integrates sub-models of reaction-diffusion, actin filaments (F-actin) and the plasma membrane. Reaction-diffusion was calculated as if enclosed by a moving membrane. Individual F-actins were reorganized on the basis of stochastic kinetic events, such as polymerization, capping, branching and severing. Membrane dynamics were modeled using an optimization of energy function that depends on cell volume, surface area, smoothness and the elasticity of F-actin against the membrane. Simulations of this model demonstrated self-organization of F-actin networks, as in lamellipodia, and chemotactic migration. Furthermore, this method was extended to address external obstacles to simulate the dynamic cellular morphological changes seen during invasive migration.