title: A biomechanical mathematical model for the collagen bundle distribution-dependent contraction and subsequent retraction of healing dermal wounds.
abstract: A continuum hypothesis-based, biomechanical model is presented for the simulation of the collagen bundle distribution-dependent contraction and subsequent retraction of healing dermal wounds that cover a large surface area. Since wound contraction mainly takes place in the dermal layer of the skin, solely a portion of this layer is included explicitly into the model. This portion of dermal layer is modeled as a heterogeneous, orthotropic continuous solid with bulk mechanical properties that are locally dependent on both the local concentration and the local geometrical arrangement of the collagen bundles. With respect to the dynamic regulation of the geometrical arrangement of the collagen bundles, it is assumed that a portion of the collagen molecules are deposited and reoriented in the direction of movement of (myo)fibroblasts. The remainder of the newly secreted collagen molecules are deposited by ratio in the direction of the present collagen bundles. Simulation results show that the distribution of the collagen bundles influences the evolution over time of both the shape of the wounded area and the degree of overall contraction of the wounded area. Interestingly, these effects are solely a consequence of alterations in the initial overall distribution of the collagen bundles, and not a consequence of alterations in the evolution over time of the different cell densities and concentrations of the modeled constituents. In accordance with experimental observations, simulation results show furthermore that ultimately the majority of the collagen molecules ends up permanently oriented toward the center of the wound and in the plane that runs parallel to the surface of the skin.
authors: Delft Institute of Applied Mathematics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands. D.C.Koppenol@tudelft.nl.
authors: Daniël C
authors: DC
authors: Koppenol
authors: Delft Institute of Applied Mathematics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors: Fred J
authors: FJ
authors: Vermolen
authors: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, MOVE Research Institute, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Frank B
authors: FB
authors: Niessen
authors: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, MOVE Research Institute, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Burn Centre, Red Cross Hospital, Beverwijk, The Netherlands.|Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Red Cross Hospital, Beverwijk, The Netherlands.
authors: Paul P M
authors: PPM
authors: van Zuijlen
authors: Delft Institute of Applied Mathematics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors: Kees
authors: K
authors: Vuik
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005347:Fibroblasts; D008954:Models, Biological; D012867:Skin; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen
keywords: Biomechanics; Collagen bundle-reinforced anisotropic soft tissue; Dermal wound healing; Modeling; Wound contraction