Modelling tissue self-organization: From micro to macro models

Abstract

In this chapter, we present recent works concerned with the derivation of a macroscopic model for complex interconnected fiber networks from an agent-based model, with applications to, but not limited to, adipose tissue self-organization. Starting from an agent-based model for interconnected fibers interacting through alignment interactions and having the ability to create and suppress cross-links, the formal limit of large number of individuals is first investigated. It leads to a kinetic system of two equations: one for the individual fiber distribution function and one for the distribution function of connected fiber pairs. The hydrodynamic limit, in a regime of instantaneous fiber linking/unlinking then leads to a macroscopic model describing the evolution of the fiber local density and mean orientation. These works are the first attempt to derive a macroscopic model for interconnected fibers from an agent-based formulation and represent a first step towards the formulation of a large scale synthetic tissue model which will serve for the investigation of large scale effects in tissue homeostasis.