Stem Cell Therapy: Numerical simulation of In Vivo Nutrient Transport and Cells Growth

Abstract

Stem cell therapy, like cell cardiomyoplasty, is an innovative therapy for patients affected by advanced heart failure. Predicting of the exact amount of implantable cells is one of the most important limitations of this therapy. This parameter must be calculated considering cells metabolism and histological environment (damage, O2 and CO2 concentration, residual microcirculation, temperature, pH, etc.) closed to ischemic area where stem cells will be implanted.

The aim of this work was to realize a numerical model enables to simulate substrate concentration profile, stem cells distribution and proliferation into the ischemic area. Nutrition of cells was based on reaction-diffusion mechanism until angiogenesis has come to advanced step. The numerical simulation reproduces reaction-diffusion phenomena considering oxygen transport and cells proliferation. Oxygen consumption and cells proliferation were represented using Michaelis-Menten and Monod model respectively.

The numerical model was developed in order to simulate the stem cell cardiomyoplasty in transmural, subepicardial, subendocardial and intramural ischemic area.

Results obtained show oxygen profile and so cells distribution into the necrotic area for different kinds of heart failure, different perfusion and during cell growth. After that, it is possible to evaluate the extension of the residual ischemic area.