Theoretical study of mechano-chemical couplings in a compartmental enzyme system. I. Analytical treatment

This paper deals with theoretical aspects of the volume changes of a system in which diffusion, convection and reaction processes are coupled. This study involves a material able to swell in the presence of a chemical effector produced by an enzyme reaction. Three limiting factors of volume change rate were considered: fluid flow, diffusion or reaction limitations. Dimensionless diffusion-reaction and diffusion-convection parameters were introduced to allow quantitative predictions in limit cases. The steady states appear to be independent of convection processes; however, the transient states depend on diffusion, convection and reaction processes.