Solenne Mondésert-Deveraux^{1, *}, Rachele Allena², Denis Aubry¹

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.15, No.3, pp. 155-176, 2018, DOI: 10.3970/mcb.2018.03053

Abstract Cell migration is the cornerstone of many biological phenomena such as cancer metastasis, immune response or organogenesis. Adhesion-based motility is the most renown and examined motility mode, but in an adhesion-free confined environment or simply to achieve a higher migration speed, cells can adopt a very interesting bleb-based migration mode called “chimneying”. This mode rests on the sharp synchronization between the active contraction of the cells uropod and the passive friction force between the cell and the confining surface. In this paper, we propose a one dimensional poroelastic model of chimneying which considers the active strains of the cell, but,… More >

Yan Cai^1,2,3, Jie Wu⁴, Zhiyong Li^1,2

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 231-248, 2015, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2015.012.231

Abstract We propose a coupled mathematical model for the detailed quantitative analyses of initial microtumour and micrometastases formation by including cancer cell migration, host vessel cooption and changes in microenvironment. Migrating cells are included as a new phenotype to describe the migration behaviour of malignant tumour cells. Migration probability of a migrating cell is assumed to be influenced by local chemical microenvironment. Pre-existing vessel cooption and remodelling are introduced according to the local haemodynamical microenvironment, such as interstitial pressure and vessel wall permeability. After the tumour cells and tumour vessels distribution are updated, the chemical substances are coupled calculated with the… More >

R. Allena^*,†

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.11, No.3, pp. 185-208, 2014, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2014.011.185

Abstract Confined migration is a crucial phenomenon during embryogenesis, immune response and cancer. Here, a two-dimensional finite element model of a HeLa cell migrating across constricted–curved micro-channels is proposed. The cell is modelled as a continuum with embedded cytoplasm and nucleus, which are described by standard Maxwell viscoelastic models. The decomposition of the deformation gradient is employed to define the cyclic active strains of protrusion and contraction, which are synchronized with the adhesion forces between the cell and the substrate. The micro-channels are represented by two rigid walls and exert an additional viscous force on the cell boundaries. Five configurations have… More >

S.J. Mousavi^∗, M.H. Doweidar^∗,†, M. Doblaré^∗

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.10, No.1, pp. 1-25, 2013, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2013.010.001

Abstract Although there are several computational models that explain the trajectory that cells take during migration, till now little attention has been paid to the integration of the cell migration in a multi-signaling system. With that aim, a generalized model of cell migration and cell-cell interaction under multisignal environments is presented herein. In this work we investigate the spatio-temporal cell-cell interaction problem induced by mechano-chemo-thermotactic cues. It is assumed that formation of a new focal adhesion generates traction forces proportional to the stresses transmitted by the cell to the extracellular matrix. The cell velocity and polarization direction are calculated based on… More >