The Graph of Cellular Automata Applied for Modelling Tumour Induced Angiogenesis
Angiogenesis is the process of formation of vascular network. Blocking tumour induced angiogenesis is one of the treatments applied in oncology. Research involving computer simulations looking for the rules influencing the structure of vascular network an
- PDF / 543,789 Bytes
- 10 Pages / 439.37 x 666.142 pts Page_size
- 0 Downloads / 144 Views
Abstract. Angiogenesis is the process of formation of vascular network. Blocking tumour induced angiogenesis is one of the treatments applied in oncology. Research involving computer simulations looking for the rules influencing the structure of vascular network and its functionality. This paper summarizes the applications of Graph of Cellular Automata modelling tool, developed by the Author, for modelling Tumour Induced Angiogenesis. Vascular network which is modelled by the graph interacts with surrounding tissue represented by the lattice of automata. The network is developed and reorganized accordingly to locally acting factors (stimulators and inhibitors). The model includes blood flow calculations in a modelled vascular network.
Keywords: Cellular automata plex systems
1
· Tumour-induced angiogenesis · Com-
Introduction
Vascular network is formed during embryogenesis and later in adulthood this process is quiescent and rigorously controlled by mutual interactions of various stimulators and inhibitors. Abnormal angiogenesis is triggered by development of solid tumours [1]. Therapies targeted against Tumour Induced Angiogenesis are subjects of wide scientific interdisciplinary investigations [2,3]. Without blood vessels, tumour cannot grow beyond a critical size and/or invade other regions of a body. The tumour induced angiogenesis starts when the production of pro-angiogenic factors overcomes other forces that kept the angiogenesis quiescent so far. Oxygen and nutrients penetrate the tissue only at a certain distance from the blood vessel. More distant cells subjected to metabolic stress synthesize many angiogenic stimulators (Tumour Angiogenic Factors — TAFs) among which the most famous is VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) [1]. Stimulators migrate towards the nearest blood vessels. When they reach the blood vessels, endothelial cells lining the vessel wall are activated. They start to proliferate and migrate towards the tumour cell attracted by the stimulators. The wall of the parent blood vessel becomes degraded, and it opens R. Wyrzykowski et al. (Eds.): PPAM 2013, Part II, LNCS 8385, pp. 711–720, 2014. c Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-55195-6 67,
712
P. Topa
to form a new capillary. Migrating and proliferating cells form a hollow tubelike cavity (the lumen), which are stabilised later by smooth muscle cells and pericytes [4]. In this paper, a computer model developed for modelling tumour induced angiogenesis is presented. The model exploits computational paradigm of Cellular Automata. However, modifications we introduced in order to reflect phenomena that make up the process of forming vascular network, make that the data structures and the algorithm are far more complex than classical Cellular Automata models. Our tool called “Graph of Cellular Automata” was previously applied for modelling evolution of river systems [5]. After minor modification, it can be applied for simulation angiogenesis [6,7]. The paper is organized as follows. Section 2 briefly discusses se
Data Loading...
