TY - JOUR
T1 - Mathematical modeling for meshwork formation of endothelial cells in fibrin gels
AU - Sasaki, Daiki
AU - Nakajima, Hitomi
AU - Yamaguchi, Yoshimi
AU - Yokokawa, Ryuji
AU - Ei, Shin Ichiro
AU - Miura, Takashi
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Shuji Ishihara, Akiko Nakamasu and Yoshiki Kanemitsu for advice on formulating the mathematical model. This work was financially supported by the CREST program of Japan Science and Technology Agency [Grant No. JPMJCR14W4].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2017/9/21
Y1 - 2017/9/21
N2 - Vasculogenesis is the earliest process in development for spontaneous formation of a primitive capillary network from endothelial progenitor cells. When human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are cultured on Matrigel, they spontaneously form a network structure which is widely used as an in vitro model of vasculogenesis. Previous studies indicated that chemotaxis or gel deformation was involved in spontaneous pattern formation. In our study, we analyzed the mechanism of vascular pattern formation using a different system, meshwork formation by HUVECs embedded in fibrin gels. Unlike the others, this experimental system resulted in a perfusable endothelial network in vitro. We quantitatively observed the dynamics of endothelial cell protrusion and developed a mathematical model for one-dimensional dynamics. We then extended the one-dimensional model to two-dimensions. The model showed that random searching by endothelial cells was sufficient to generate the observed network structure in fibrin gels.
AB - Vasculogenesis is the earliest process in development for spontaneous formation of a primitive capillary network from endothelial progenitor cells. When human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are cultured on Matrigel, they spontaneously form a network structure which is widely used as an in vitro model of vasculogenesis. Previous studies indicated that chemotaxis or gel deformation was involved in spontaneous pattern formation. In our study, we analyzed the mechanism of vascular pattern formation using a different system, meshwork formation by HUVECs embedded in fibrin gels. Unlike the others, this experimental system resulted in a perfusable endothelial network in vitro. We quantitatively observed the dynamics of endothelial cell protrusion and developed a mathematical model for one-dimensional dynamics. We then extended the one-dimensional model to two-dimensions. The model showed that random searching by endothelial cells was sufficient to generate the observed network structure in fibrin gels.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85021422937&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85021422937&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jtbi.2017.06.012
DO - 10.1016/j.jtbi.2017.06.012
M3 - Article
C2 - 28648563
AN - SCOPUS:85021422937
SN - 0022-5193
VL - 429
SP - 95
EP - 104
JO - Journal of Theoretical Biology
JF - Journal of Theoretical Biology
ER -