Modelling pattern formation through differential repulsion

Abstract

Motivated by experiments on cell segregation, we present a twospecies model of interacting particles, aiming at a quantitative description of this phenomenon. Under precise scaling hypothesis, we derive from the microscopic model a macroscopic one and we analyze it. In particular, we determine the range of parameters for which segregation is expected. We compare our analytical results and numerical simulations of the macroscopic model to direct simulations of the particles, and comment on possible links with experiments.