Friday, April 22 2005

Speaker: Thomas Hillen, Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences
University of Alberta

Title: Mathematical Models for Mesenchymal Motion

Abstract:
In recent experiments it has been shown that the movement characteristics
of amoeboid cells in tissues is quite different from the movement on a petri
dish. While in a homogeneous environment cells appear round shaped with broad
protrusions (amoeboid), in tissues the same cells are elongated with more
smaller protrusions (mesenchymal). Cells are guided by the underlying
tissue and in addition they release protease to cut through obstacles.

In this talk I will develop a transport model for mesenchymal motion.
Then I will discuss hydrodynamic and diffusion scaling to derive a
macroscopic drift-diffusion model for mesenchymal motion.The diffusion

and drift coefficients can be related to the properties of the underlying
tissue matrix.