title: SPH simulations of WBC adhesion to the endothelium: the role of haemodynamics and endothelial binding kinetics.
abstract: A multiscale Lagrangian particle solver introduced in our previous work is extended to model physiologically realistic near-wall cell dynamics. Three-dimensional simulation of particle trajectories is combined with realistic receptor-ligand adhesion behaviour to cover full cell interactions in the vicinity of the endothelium. The selected stochastic adhesion model, which is based on a Monte Carlo acceptance-rejection method, fits in our Lagrangian framework and does not compromise performance. Additionally, appropriate inflow/outflow boundary conditions are implemented for our SPH solver to enable realistic pulsatile flow simulation. The model is tested against in-vitro data from a 3D geometry with a stenosis and sudden expansion. In both steady and pulsatile flow conditions, results show close agreement with the experimental ones. Furthermore we demonstrate, in agreement with experimental observations, that haemodynamics alone does not account for adhesion of white blood cells, in this case U937 monocytic human cells. Our findings suggest that the current framework is fully capable of modelling cell dynamics in large arteries in a realistic and efficient manner.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Aerodynamik und Strömungsmechanik, Technische Universität München, Boltzmannstr. 15, 85748, Garching bei München, Germany. babak.gholami@aer.mw.tum.de.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gholami
authors.affiliation: Department of Aeronautics, Imperial College, London, UK. a.comerford@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Comerford
authors.affiliation: Biomedical and Rheology Group, Zienkiewicz Centre for Computational Engineering (ZCCE), College of Engineering, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK. m.ellero@swansea.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ellero
mesh_terms: D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular
keywords: Cell adhesion; Large artery; Smoothed particle hydrodynamics; White blood cells