A mathematical model of proliferation and aging of cells in culture.
A mathematical model is presented which describes the proliferative senescence of cells in culture. The model is based on the DNA damage hypothesis of cellular aging and is able to account for both the limited and unlimited in vitro proliferative potential of normal and transformed cells. It is predicted that the destiny of a cell population is determined by two counteracting factors: the proliferation rate of the dividable cells and the gene damage accumulation rate. The formation of an immortal cell line requires high rate of proliferation and/or low rate of gene damage accumulation. The related computer simulations on a number of proliferative properties of cell culture produces results in agreement, in the general properties, with experimental observations.
Zheng
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Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing.
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological