A multiscale model for the selection process of ovulatory follicles.
The biological meaning of follicular development is to free fertilizable oocytes at the time of ovulation. The selection of ovulatory follicles in mammal ovaries is an FSH-dependent selection process. In this paper, we design a multi-scale model of follicular development, where selection arises from the feedback between the ovaries and the pituitary gland and appeals to control theory concepts. Each ovarian follicle is characterized by a 2D density function giving an age and maturity-structured description of its cell population. The control intervenes in the velocity and loss terms of the conservation law ruling the changes in the density. The numerical outputs of the model, integrated with the finite volume method, are consistent with physiological knowledge.
Echenim
Nki
N
Unit'e de Recherche INRIA Rocquencourt, Domaine de Voluceau, Rocquencourt BP 105, 78153 Le Chesnay Cedex, FRANCE. nki.echenim@inria.fr.
Sorine
Michel
M
Clement
Frederique
F