Combined modeling of cell aggregation and adhesion mediated by receptor–ligand interactions under shear flow

Blood cell aggregation and adhesion to endothelial cells under shear flow are crucial to many biological processes such as thrombi formation, inflammatory cascade, and tumor metastasis, in which these cellular interactions are mainly mediated by the underlying receptor–ligand bindings. While theoret...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yu Du, Shuang Peng, Yuhong Cui, Shouqin Lü, Yan Zhang, Mian Long
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2015-11-01
Series:Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095034915000847
Description
Summary:Blood cell aggregation and adhesion to endothelial cells under shear flow are crucial to many biological processes such as thrombi formation, inflammatory cascade, and tumor metastasis, in which these cellular interactions are mainly mediated by the underlying receptor–ligand bindings. While theoretical modeling of aggregation dynamics and adhesion kinetics of interacting cells have been well studied separately, how to couple these two processes remains unclear. Here we develop a combined model that couples cellular aggregation dynamics and adhesion kinetics under shear flow. The impacts of shear rate (or shear stress) and molecular binding affinity were elucidated. This study provides a unified model where the action of a fluid flow drives cell aggregation and adhesion under the modulations of the mechanical shear flow and receptor–ligand interaction kinetics. It offers an insight into understanding the relevant biological processes and functions.
ISSN:2095-0349