Agent-based computational model of retinal angiogenesis simulates microvascular network morphology as a function of pericyte coverage.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Define a role for perivascular cells during developmental retinal angiogenesis in the context of EC Notch1-DLL4 signaling at the multicellular network level.

Methods

The retinal vasculature is highly sensitive to growth factor-mediated intercellular signaling. Although EC signaling has been explored in detail, it remains unclear how PC function to modulate these signals that lead to a diverse set of vascular network patterns in health and disease. We have developed an ABM of retinal angiogenesis that incorporates both ECs and PCs to investigate the formation of vascular network patterns as a function of pericyte coverage. We use our model to test the hypothesis that PC modulate Notch1-DLL4 signaling in endothelial cell-endothelial cell interactions.

Results

SUBMITTER: Walpole J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5673505 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature