Growth of 2D cell colonies under the DNA damaging treatment

Goals: Use a computational model to investigate the effects of a DNA damaging drug on the growth of tumor cell colonies.

Mathematical Model: A mathematical force-particle model in which cells are represented by circles and repulsive forces are applied to keep distance between the neighboring cells (a non-overlapping condition).

Computational tools: The model is coded using the Matlab system; all images and movies are also made using the Matlab system.

Author: Kasia Rejniak: labpages.moffitt.org/rejniakk
in collaboration with Jana Gevertz, Kerri-Ann Norton, Judith Perez-Velazquez, Zahra Aminzare, Alexandria Volkening.
Simulation movie: this simulation presents development of tumor resistance to the DNA damaging drug. The simulation is run using a small patch of a tissue with 4 vessels (red circles) that supply both oxygen and drug. 65 tumor cells (each represented by a different symbol and color in the right panel) are dividing provided they have enough of oxygen and space, and form separate tumor clones. The cells absorb the drug and die when the accumulated drug exceeds the threshold. Both panels show the same simualtion; left panel shows drug concentration (yellow to blue in the background) and individual tumor cells with colors representing the amount of accumulated drug; right panel shows oxygen concentration (shades of grey in teh background) and individual cells with symbols representing their clonal origin.

Note that cells first take over the whole space, then a lot of them dies due to the drug action, but some develop resistance and again take over the whols space.