Modelling the Endothelial Cell Response to Fluid Flow

Following the onset of shear stress due to fluid flow endothelial cells polarise and elongate in the direction of flow. How the mechanical signal is transformed into an organised and directed response is poorly understood. A multi-scale cellular Potts model promises to aid investigation of this question. A 3D virtual cell defines the fluid flow via a boundary integral representation, solution of which gives the force over the surface of the cell. A framework of how to link this to models of Rho GTPase interaction, actin filament alignment and Arp2/3 induced actin polymerisation will be described.