Modelling and Simulation of Filopodial Protrusion

Abstract

The effect of substrate surface topology on the interaction of living cells with inanimate substrates is a well-established phenomenon. When cells are placed on biomaterials, they outgrow protrusions called filopodia that sense surface features in their immediate surroundings and initiate the formation of stable cell adhesion complexes closer to the cell body. Adhesion proteins permit filopodia to constantly explore the surrounding microenvironment. A better understanding of the relationship of filopodia with surface features is highly relevant for exploiting custom-made surfaces to guide cell activity. In this work, mathematical modeling and simulation were used to describe different phenomena related to the interaction of a filopodium with its microenvironment, with the aim of reproducing experimentally observed phenomena associated to filopodia growth and interactions with substrates. The Kelvin Voigt model was used for the viscoelastic response of filopodia. Result predict filopodia protrusion under test conditions and helps improving our understanding on the effect of substrate topology on the biomechanical response of filopodial extensions.