Simulated Flow-Induced Deformation of Homogeneous Adherent Cell

Mechanical properties of living cells are closely linked to their functional state, making them a vital subject of investigation for both fundamental cell biology and clinical applications. In this study, we develop a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model to simulate the deformation of homogeneous adherent cells subjected to shear flow in a microfluidic chamber. The simulation framework incorporates experimental data obtained from quantitative phase imaging (QPI), thereby enabling a realistic representation of cellular morphology. To capture the interplay between the fluid domain and the deformable cell, we employ OpenFOAM for finite-volume-based fluid flow calculations and couple it to FEniCS for finite-element-based structural analysis via the preCICE library. We compare coupling schemes to evaluate how solid deformation feedback affects the flow field and cell displacement: one-way coupling transfers data from one domain (e.g., fluid) to another (e.g., solid) without feedback, while two-way coupling involves bidirectional data exchange, where changes in one domain affect the other iteratively.Our results show that one-way coupling can approximate two-way coupling at a slightly increased elastic modulus; however, it significantly reduces computational complexity and simplifies this model, which makes it optimal for high-throughput analysis of measured data. Ultimately, this work underscores the importance of reliable FSI simulations for advancing cell-based assays and paves the way for more intricate modeling approaches that incorporate viscoelastic or active cytoskeletal components.