GeomCell design of cell geometry

Abstract

From the viewpoint of geometry, the structure of living cells is given by the 3D organization of their numerous intracellular organelles of various sizes, shapes, and locations. To understand them in their complexity, realistic computer models of cells may be instrumental and may moreover serve for virtual experiments and simulations of various kinds. We present a modeling concept based on the theory of implicit surfaces that allows for creation of a realistic infrastructure of the microworld of muscle cells. Creation of such models, consisting of hundreds or even thousands of organelles by means of traditional interactive techniques would, however, require unacceptably long time. Therefore, the whole model as well as each implicit object is created in an automatic process, guided by local and global geometric and statistic parameters. To accomplish this, we designed an XML-based cell modeling language. Further, the modeling system is supplemented by post-processing tools for model polygonization and voxelization, and, owing to high computational demands, was implemented in a grid environment. © 2009 Springer-Verlag London.