Adaptive coarse-grained Monte Carlo simulation of reaction and diffusion dynamics in heterogeneous plasma membranes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

An adaptive coarse-grained (kinetic) Monte Carlo (ACGMC) simulation framework is applied to reaction and diffusion dynamics in inhomogeneous domains. The presented model is relevant to the diffusion and dimerization dynamics of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the presence of plasma membrane heterogeneity and specifically receptor clustering. We perform simulations representing EGFR cluster dissipation in heterogeneous plasma membranes consisting of higher density clusters of receptors surrounded by low population areas using the ACGMC method. We further investigate the effect of key parameters on the cluster lifetime.

Results

Coarse-graining of dimerization, rather than of diffusion, may lead to computational error. It is shown that the ACGMC method is

SUBMITTER: Collins S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2868014 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature