Models of collective cell spreading with variable cell aspect ratio: a motivation for degenerate diffusion models.

Continuum diffusion models are often used to represent the collective motion of cell populations. Most previous studies have simply used linear diffusion to represent collective cell spreading, while others found that degenerate nonlinear diffusion provides a better match to experimental cell densit...

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Main Authors: Simpson, M, Baker, R, McCue, S
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2011
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author Simpson, M
Baker, R
McCue, S
author_facet Simpson, M
Baker, R
McCue, S
author_sort Simpson, M
collection OXFORD
description Continuum diffusion models are often used to represent the collective motion of cell populations. Most previous studies have simply used linear diffusion to represent collective cell spreading, while others found that degenerate nonlinear diffusion provides a better match to experimental cell density profiles. In the cell modeling literature there is no guidance available with regard to which approach is more appropriate for representing the spreading of cell populations. Furthermore, there is no knowledge of particular experimental measurements that can be made to distinguish between situations where these two models are appropriate. Here we provide a link between individual-based and continuum models using a multiscale approach in which we analyze the collective motion of a population of interacting agents in a generalized lattice-based exclusion process. For round agents that occupy a single lattice site, we find that the relevant continuum description of the system is a linear diffusion equation, whereas for elongated rod-shaped agents that occupy L adjacent lattice sites we find that the relevant continuum description is connected to the porous media equation (PME). The exponent in the nonlinear diffusivity function is related to the aspect ratio of the agents. Our work provides a physical connection between modeling collective cell spreading and the use of either the linear diffusion equation or the PME to represent cell density profiles. Results suggest that when using continuum models to represent cell population spreading, we should take care to account for variations in the cell aspect ratio because different aspect ratios lead to different continuum models.
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spelling oxford-uuid:fec660a4-639a-410f-98ca-e5e21226f27f2022-03-27T13:39:16ZModels of collective cell spreading with variable cell aspect ratio: a motivation for degenerate diffusion models.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:fec660a4-639a-410f-98ca-e5e21226f27fEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2011Simpson, MBaker, RMcCue, SContinuum diffusion models are often used to represent the collective motion of cell populations. Most previous studies have simply used linear diffusion to represent collective cell spreading, while others found that degenerate nonlinear diffusion provides a better match to experimental cell density profiles. In the cell modeling literature there is no guidance available with regard to which approach is more appropriate for representing the spreading of cell populations. Furthermore, there is no knowledge of particular experimental measurements that can be made to distinguish between situations where these two models are appropriate. Here we provide a link between individual-based and continuum models using a multiscale approach in which we analyze the collective motion of a population of interacting agents in a generalized lattice-based exclusion process. For round agents that occupy a single lattice site, we find that the relevant continuum description of the system is a linear diffusion equation, whereas for elongated rod-shaped agents that occupy L adjacent lattice sites we find that the relevant continuum description is connected to the porous media equation (PME). The exponent in the nonlinear diffusivity function is related to the aspect ratio of the agents. Our work provides a physical connection between modeling collective cell spreading and the use of either the linear diffusion equation or the PME to represent cell density profiles. Results suggest that when using continuum models to represent cell population spreading, we should take care to account for variations in the cell aspect ratio because different aspect ratios lead to different continuum models.
spellingShingle Simpson, M
Baker, R
McCue, S
Models of collective cell spreading with variable cell aspect ratio: a motivation for degenerate diffusion models.
title Models of collective cell spreading with variable cell aspect ratio: a motivation for degenerate diffusion models.
title_full Models of collective cell spreading with variable cell aspect ratio: a motivation for degenerate diffusion models.
title_fullStr Models of collective cell spreading with variable cell aspect ratio: a motivation for degenerate diffusion models.
title_full_unstemmed Models of collective cell spreading with variable cell aspect ratio: a motivation for degenerate diffusion models.
title_short Models of collective cell spreading with variable cell aspect ratio: a motivation for degenerate diffusion models.
title_sort models of collective cell spreading with variable cell aspect ratio a motivation for degenerate diffusion models
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