Are Tumor Cell Lineages Solely Shaped by Mechanical Forces?

Authored by Pierre Degond, Giacomo Dimarco, Mathieu Leroy-Leretre, Martine Cazales, Marie-Laure Boizeau, Bernard Ducommun, Valerie Lobjois

Date Published: 2017

DOI: 10.1007/s11538-017-0333-y

Sponsors: United Kingdom Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) United States National Science Foundation (NSF) Wolfson foundation

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

This paper investigates cell proliferation dynamics in small tumor cell aggregates using an individual-based model (IBM). The simulation model is designed to study the morphology of the cell population and of the cell lineages as well as the impact of the orientation of the division plane on this morphology. Our IBM model is based on the hypothesis that cells are incompressible objects that grow in size and divide once a threshold size is reached, and that newly born cell adhere to the existing cell cluster. We performed comparisons between the simulation model and experimental data by using several statistical indicators. The results suggest that the emergence of particular morphologies can be explained by simple mechanical interactions.
Tags
Individual-based model Migration tissue architecture cancer Cell proliferation growth In-vitro Mathematical-model Adhesion Colonic crypt Monoclonal conversion Mitotic spindle orientation Energy minimization Lineage morphology