Mathematical modelling of cell aggregation in liver tissue engineering

A promising method for growing functional liver tissue in vitro involves culturing hepatocytes as spheroidal cell aggregates. In this thesis, we develop mathematical models of cell aggregation, and use them to determine how hepatocytes' interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM) on which...

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Main Author: Green, John Edward E.
Format: Thesis (University of Nottingham only)
Language:English
Published: 2006
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28963/
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author Green, John Edward E.
author_facet Green, John Edward E.
author_sort Green, John Edward E.
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description A promising method for growing functional liver tissue in vitro involves culturing hepatocytes as spheroidal cell aggregates. In this thesis, we develop mathematical models of cell aggregation, and use them to determine how hepatocytes' interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM) on which they are seeded, and with stellate cells, affect the process. Chapters 2-4 focus on the effect that cell-ECM coupling has on the aggregation process. We use a novel formulation that couples a mechanical model for the ECM with a two-phase model for the cell-culture region. A combination of linear stability analysis and numerical simulations are used to identify parameter regimes in which aggregation occurs, and investigate the effect of changing key parameters. In Chapter 2, we assume a one-dimensional geometry, whereas in Chapters 3 and 4, the slender two-dimensional geometry is exploited to obtain two alternative one-dimensional models in which the mechanisms dominating aggregation are chemotaxis and surface tension. In Chapter 5, we focus on interactions between hepatocytes and stellates, neglecting the role of the ECM.We develop new non-local models to investigate the relative contributions of hepatocyte-heaptocyte and hepatocyte-stellate interactions in controlling spheroid formation. Comparison with experimental results suggests that the hepatocyte-stellate interaction is the stronger, in which case a 1:1 seeding ratio of hepatocytes to stellates is likely to be optimal for promoting swift aggregate formation.
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spelling nottingham-289632025-02-28T11:34:55Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28963/ Mathematical modelling of cell aggregation in liver tissue engineering Green, John Edward E. A promising method for growing functional liver tissue in vitro involves culturing hepatocytes as spheroidal cell aggregates. In this thesis, we develop mathematical models of cell aggregation, and use them to determine how hepatocytes' interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM) on which they are seeded, and with stellate cells, affect the process. Chapters 2-4 focus on the effect that cell-ECM coupling has on the aggregation process. We use a novel formulation that couples a mechanical model for the ECM with a two-phase model for the cell-culture region. A combination of linear stability analysis and numerical simulations are used to identify parameter regimes in which aggregation occurs, and investigate the effect of changing key parameters. In Chapter 2, we assume a one-dimensional geometry, whereas in Chapters 3 and 4, the slender two-dimensional geometry is exploited to obtain two alternative one-dimensional models in which the mechanisms dominating aggregation are chemotaxis and surface tension. In Chapter 5, we focus on interactions between hepatocytes and stellates, neglecting the role of the ECM.We develop new non-local models to investigate the relative contributions of hepatocyte-heaptocyte and hepatocyte-stellate interactions in controlling spheroid formation. Comparison with experimental results suggests that the hepatocyte-stellate interaction is the stronger, in which case a 1:1 seeding ratio of hepatocytes to stellates is likely to be optimal for promoting swift aggregate formation. 2006-12-14 Thesis (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en arr https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28963/1/435447.pdf Green, John Edward E. (2006) Mathematical modelling of cell aggregation in liver tissue engineering. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.
spellingShingle Green, John Edward E.
Mathematical modelling of cell aggregation in liver tissue engineering
title Mathematical modelling of cell aggregation in liver tissue engineering
title_full Mathematical modelling of cell aggregation in liver tissue engineering
title_fullStr Mathematical modelling of cell aggregation in liver tissue engineering
title_full_unstemmed Mathematical modelling of cell aggregation in liver tissue engineering
title_short Mathematical modelling of cell aggregation in liver tissue engineering
title_sort mathematical modelling of cell aggregation in liver tissue engineering
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28963/