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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Mechanical Stimulation-induced Calcium Wave Propagation in Cell Monolayers: The Example of Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells
Published on: July 16, 2013
Calcium waves with fast buffers and mechanical effects
Bogdan Kaźmierczak1, Zbigniew Peradzyński
1Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland. bkazmier@ippt.gov.pl
This study proves calcium traveling waves converge to a limit in systems with fast buffers. As buffer interactions strengthen, wave speeds and concentrations stabilize to predictable profiles.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Chemical Kinetics
- Mathematical Biology
Background:
- Calcium dynamics are crucial in cellular processes.
- Understanding traveling waves is key to biological signaling.
- Fast buffer systems present unique modeling challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the existence of calcium traveling waves in systems with fast buffers.
- To analyze the asymptotic behavior of these waves as buffer interaction strength increases.
- To examine the influence of coupled mechanical and chemical processes.
Main Methods:
- Asymptotic analysis of traveling wave solutions.
- Mathematical modeling of calcium dynamics with fast buffers.
- Analysis of concentration profile properties.
Main Results:
- Convergence of traveling wave speeds to a limit.
- Convergence of calcium concentration profiles to a reduced equation's profile.
- Demonstration of the existence and monotonicity of concentration profiles, ensuring positivity.
Conclusions:
- Fast buffer systems exhibit predictable calcium traveling wave behavior.
- Coupled mechanical and chemical processes are essential for understanding concentration dynamics.
- The study provides a robust mathematical framework for calcium wave analysis.
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