Tumor-induced angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from existing vasculature in response to chemical signals from a tumor, is a crucial step in cancer development and progression. Although the sequential steps involved in tumor-induced angiogenesis are well known, the interplay between the biochemical and biomechanical mechanisms (e.g., cell-cell
interactions, cell-matrix interactions, and intracellular signaling pathways) and their effects on angiogenesis is largely unresolved. I will present our on-going effort in developing a multiscale model of tumor-induced angiogenesis. The model incorporates the evolving composition of the stroma and the cell-matrix interactions in order to better understand how to manipulate these processes for therapeutic gain. The model is able to link processes occurring on multiple time scales, and controls processes at the level of the individual cell where continuous models fail. Our preliminary results suggest that the composition of the stroma may play an important role to induce blood vessel branching.
Audio (MP3 File, Podcast Ready)
Copyright. All Rights Reserved.