Computer Simulations of Mechanochemical Coupling in a Deforming Domain: Applications to Cell Motion

Abstract

The coordinated response of cytoskeletal components resulting in the polarization and Chemotaxis of crawling cells is likely to require the asymmetric distribution of signal molecules. The asymmetrically distributed Signals are thought to locally regulate protrusive and/or contractile force generation in the cytoskeleton. The author’s previous research [4, 5] involves computational Simulation of the cytoskeleton as a dynamic network of immersed nodes connected by passive and active force-generating elastic elements. This paper describes recent progress toward incorporating reaction-diffusion-advection (RDA) equations for intracellular signaling into the exist-ing mechanical model. A general method using Voronoi diagrams for solving the RDA equations on an irregularly shaped, nonconvex deforming domain is described. Test runs indicate that the method is a promising tool for this class of problems as well as for modeling signaling and mechanical interactions among many cells. The incorporation of this method into the existing mechanical model, as well as future implementation of the same method for modeling multicellular interactions, is discussed.