Related Experiment Videos
A dynamical model for receptor-mediated cell adhesion to surfaces in viscous shear flow
D A Hammer1, D A Lauffenburger
1School of Chemical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.
Cell Biophysics
|April 1, 1989
Summary
This study models cell adhesion to surfaces under shear flow, identifying two key regimes: rate-controlled and affinity-controlled. These regimes explain how bond formation, receptor-ligand affinity, and fluid forces influence cell attachment.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Fluid Mechanics
Background:
- Cell adhesion is crucial for biological processes.
- Understanding receptor-ligand interactions under flow is complex.
- Existing models may not fully capture dynamic adhesion phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a dynamical model for receptor-mediated cell adhesion.
- To predict conditions governing cell attachment to surfaces in shear flow.
- To elucidate the interplay of chemical and physical forces in cell adhesion.
Main Methods:
- Developed a dynamical model for cell-surface interactions.
- Utilized phase plane analysis of nonlinear ordinary differential equations.
- Analyzed changes in free receptor and bond density over time.
Main Results:
- Identified two adhesion regimes: rate-controlled (high affinity) and affinity-controlled (low affinity).
- Adhesion depends on bond formation rate, receptor-ligand affinity, fluid forces, receptor mobility, and contact area.
- Model explains experimental observations regarding temperature and receptor mobility effects.
Conclusions:
- The model provides a framework for understanding cell adhesion dynamics.
- Distinguishing between rate-controlled and affinity-controlled regimes is key to explaining experimental data.
- Approximate analytical solutions facilitate experimental validation of model predictions.