Exploring the Effect of Cell Heterogeneity in Wound Healing Using a 3D Multicellular Tissue Growth Model

摘要

We explore some aspects of cell population dynamics in a wound-healing environment using a three-dimensional simulation model for multicellular tissue growth. The computational model uses a discrete approach based on cellular automata to simulate wound-healing times and tissue growth rates of multiple populations of proliferating and migrating cells. Each population of cells has its own division, motion, collision, and aggregation characteristics resulting in a number of useful system parameters that allow us to investigate their emergent effects. These random dynamic processes can be modeled by appropriately choosing the governing rules of the state transitions of each computational site. Discrete systems of this kind constitute an important approach for studying the temporal dynamics of complex biological systems.