A novel population balance model to investigate the kinetics of in vitro cell proliferation: part II. Numerical solution, parameters' determination, and model outcomes.
Based on the general theoretical model developed in Part I of this work, a series of numerical simulations related to the in vitro proliferation kinetics of adherent cells is here presented. First the complex task of assigning a specific value to all the parameters of the proposed population balance (PB) model is addressed, by also highlighting the difficulties arising when performing proper comparisons with experimental data. Then, a parametric sensitivity analysis is performed, thus identifying the more relevant parameters from a kinetics perspective. The proposed PB model can be adapted to describe cell growth under various conditions, by properly changing the value of the adjustable parameters. For this reason, model parameters able to mimic cell culture behavior under microgravity conditions are identified by means of a suitable parametric sensitivity analysis. Specifically, it is found that, as the volume growth parameter is reduced, proliferation slows down while cells arrest in G0/G1 or G2/M depending on the initial distribution of cell population. On the basis of this result, model capabilities have been tested by means of a proper comparison with literature experimental data related to the behavior of synchronized and not-synchronized cells under micro- and standard gravity levels.
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica e Materiali, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Piazza d'Armi, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
Sarah
S
Fadda
Alberto
A
Cincotti
Giacomo
G
Cao
D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002452:Cell Count; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048429:Cell Size; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical
D004247:DNA