A multicellular systems biology model predicts epidermal morphology, kinetics and Ca2+ flow

Area of Science:

• Computational Biology
• Systems Biology
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Current systems biology primarily integrates intracellular networks, neglecting clinical disease definitions based on histology.
• Simulating complex epithelial tissues like the epidermis, where most human cancers originate, remains a challenge for computational models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a computational system for simulating human epidermis homeostasis.
• To model the formation of horizontally layered epidermis with distinct cell differentiation stages.

Main Methods:

• Development of algorithms for a systems biology model.
• Simulation of tissue homeostasis, epidermal morphology, and calcium ion (Ca2+) flow.
• Comparison of simulated healthy and disturbed barrier properties with existing literature.

Main Results:

• The system successfully simulates horizontally layered human epidermis with varying cell differentiation.
• Predicted epidermal morphology, tissue kinetics, and 2D Ca2+ ion flow align with physiological observations.
• The model accurately mimics healthy and disturbed epidermal barrier conditions as described in scientific literature.

Conclusions:

• The developed system provides a valuable tool for understanding epithelial tissue dynamics and homeostasis.
• This model can yield significant insights into epithelial tissue, particularly in the context of cancer research.
• The simulation closely replicates physiological conditions, validating its potential for further investigation.