A Simulation Model of Biofilms with Autonomous Cells, 2-Explicit Representation of the Extracellular Polymeric Substance
Authored by Yu-Guo Tao, Gary W Slater
Date Published: 2011
DOI: 10.1002/mats.201100030
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Abstract
Biofilms are complex colonies of bacteria that grow in contact with a
wall, often in the presence of a water flow. In the current work, biofilm colony growth is investigated using a two-dimensional lattice
Monte-Carlo algorithm based on the bond-fluctuation algorithm (BFA). One
of the distinguishing characteristics of biofilms, the synthesis and
physical properties of the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) in
which the cells are embedded, is explicitly taken into account. Cells
are modeled as autonomous closed loops with well-defined mechanical and
biological properties, while the EPS is modeled as flexible polymeric
chain synthesized by the cells during their growth. By tuning the
structural, energy, biological, and morphologic parameters of the model, the cell shapes as well as the growth and maturation of various types of
biofilm colonies ( including colonies with multiple species) can be
controlled.
Tags
Mathematical-model
Involvement
Individual-based
model
Cellular-automaton approach
Detachment
Hypothesis
Eps
Bacterial colony growth
Membranes
Dimensions