title: Architecture-dependent signal conduction in model networks of endothelial cells.
abstract: Signal conduction between endothelial cells along the walls of vessels appears to play an important role in circulatory function. A recently developed approach to calculate analytically the spectrum of propagating compositional waves in models of multicellular architectures is extended to study putative signal conduction dynamics across networks of endothelial cells. Here, compositional waves originate from negative feedback loops, such as between Ca2+ and inositol triphosphate (IP3) in endothelial cells, and are shaped by their connection topologies. We consider models of networks constituted of a main chain of endothelial cells and multiple side chains. The resulting transmission spectra encode information concerning the position and size of the side branches in the form of gaps. This observation suggests that endothelial cell networks may be able to "communicate" information regarding long-range order in their architecture.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA.
authors.forename: Pierre A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Deymier
authors.forename: Mete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eray
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Deymier
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Runge
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hoying
authors.forename: Jérome O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Vasseur
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication; D004058:Diffusion; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; D002118:Calcium