Abstract
A computational algorithm to study the evolution of complex wound morphologies is developed based on a model of wound closure by cell mitosis and migration due to Adam [Math Comput Model 30(5–6):23–32, 1999]. A detailed analysis of the model provides estimated values for the incubation and healing times. Furthermore, a set of inequalities are defined which demarcate conditions of complete, partial and non-healing. Numerical results show a significant delay in the healing progress whenever diffusion of the epidermic growth factor responsible for cell mitosis is slower than cell migration. Results for general wound morphologies show that healing is always initiated at regions with high curvatures and that the evolution of the wound is very sensitive to physiological parameters.
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The authors gratefully acknowledge the Delft Centre for Materials, at the Delft University of Technology, for the financial support of this research.
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Open Access This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0), which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
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Javierre, E., Vermolen, F.J., Vuik, C. et al. A mathematical analysis of physiological and morphological aspects of wound closure. J. Math. Biol. 59, 605–630 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00285-008-0242-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00285-008-0242-7