Modelling of chemotatic sprouting endothelial cells through and extracellular matrix

Sprouting angiogenesis is a core biological process critical to vascular development. Its accurate simulation, relevant to multiple facets of human health, is of broad, interdisciplinary appeal. This study presents an in-silico model replicating a microfluidic assay where endothelial cells sprout in...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Ferré Torres, Josep, Noguera Monteagudo, Adrià, López Canosa, Adrián, Romero Arias, J. Roberto, Barrio, Rafael, Castaño Linares, Óscar, Hernández Machado, Aurora
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/219719
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/219719
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Angiogènesi
Biomimètica
Neovascularization
Biomimetics
Descripción
Sumario:Sprouting angiogenesis is a core biological process critical to vascular development. Its accurate simulation, relevant to multiple facets of human health, is of broad, interdisciplinary appeal. This study presents an in-silico model replicating a microfluidic assay where endothelial cells sprout into a biomimetic extracellular matrix, specifically, a large-pore, low-concentration fibrin-based porous hydrogel, influenced by chemotactic factors. We introduce a novel approach by incorporating the extracellular matrix and chemotactic factor effects into a unified term using a single parameter, primarily focusing on modelling sprouting dynamics and morphology. This continuous model naturally describes chemotactic-induced sprouting with no need for additional rules. In addition, we extended our base model to account for matrix sensing and degradation, crucial aspects of angiogenesis. We validate our model via a hybrid in-silico experimental method, comparing the model predictions with experimental results derived from the microfluidic setup. Our results underscore the intricate relationship between the extracellular matrix structure and angiogenic sprouting, proposing a promising method for predicting the influence of the extracellular matrix on angiogenesis.