From energy to cellular forces in the Cellular Potts Model: An algorithmic approach.

ABSTRACT: Single and collective cell dynamics, cell shape changes, and cell migration can be conveniently represented by the Cellular Potts Model, a computational platform based on minimization of a Hamiltonian. Using the fact that a force field is easily derived from a scalar energy (F = -∇H), we develop a simple algorithm to associate effective forces with cell shapes in the CPM. We predict the traction forces exerted by single cells of various shapes and sizes on a 2D substrate. While CPM forces are specified directly from the Hamiltonian on the cell perimeter, we approximate the force field inside the cell domain using interpolation, and refine the results with smoothing. Predicted forces compare favorably with experimentally measured cellular traction forces. We show that a CPM model with inter

SUBMITTER: Rens EG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6927661 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature