title: A mathematical model of collagen lattice contraction.
abstract: Two mathematical models for fibroblast-collagen interaction are proposed which reproduce qualitative features of fibroblast-populated collagen lattice contraction. Both models are force based and model the cells as individual entities with discrete attachment sites; however, the collagen lattice is modelled differently in each model. In the collagen lattice model, the lattice is more interconnected and formed by triangulating nodes to form the fibrous structure. In the collagen fibre model, the nodes are not triangulated, are less interconnected, and the collagen fibres are modelled as a string of nodes. Both models suggest that the overall increase in stress of the lattice as it contracts is not the cause of the reduced rate of contraction, but that the reduced rate of contraction is due to inactivation of the fibroblasts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602-6539, USA dallon@math.byu.edu.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dallon
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602-6539, USA.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
authors.forename: H Paul
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002452:Cell Count; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen
keywords: cell forces; collagen contraction; fibroblast; myofibroblasts; wound contraction