Mathematical modelling of fluid transport and its regulation at multiple scales

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftÜbersichtsartikel (Review)BeigetragenBegutachtung

Abstract

Living matter equals water, to a first approximation, and water transport across barriers such as membranes and epithelia is vital. Water serves two competing functions. On the one hand, it is the fundamental solvent enabling random mobility of solutes and therefore biochemical reactions and intracellular signal propagation. Homeostasis of the intracellular water volume is required such that messenger concentration encodes the stimulus and not inverse volume fluctuations. On the other hand, water flow is needed for transport of solutes to and away from cells in a directed manner, threatening volume homeostasis and signal transduction fidelity of cells. Feedback regulation of fluid transport reconciles these competing objectives. The regulatory mechanisms often span across multiple spatial scales from cellular interactions up to the architecture of organs. Open questions relate to the dependency of water fluxes and steady state volumes on control parameters and stimuli. We here review selected mathematical models of feedback regulation of fluid transport at the cell scale and identify a general “core–shell” structure of such models. We propose that fluid transport models at other spatial scales can be constructed in a generalised core–shell framework, in which the core accounts for the biophysical effects of fluid transport whilst the shell reflects the regulatory mechanisms. We demonstrate the applicability of this framework for tissue lumen growth and suggest future experiments in zebrafish to test lumen size regulation mechanisms.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)1-10
Seitenumfang10
FachzeitschriftBioSystems
Jahrgang130
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 2015
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

Scopus 84922992276
researchoutputwizard legacy.publication#63640
ORCID /0000-0003-0137-5106/work/142244206

Schlagworte

Schlagwörter

  • Osmosis, Cell volume homeostasis, Cyst lumen, Mathematical model