Experiment 2: Human Dermal Fibroblasts

MATERIALS AND METHODS TODO:Doreen RESULTS We used our model (2.1)-(2.3) to estimate the parameters corresponding to the growth of human dermal fibroblasts on two different artificial surfaces. The set of parameters corresponding to the low proliferation rate on the tc treated polystyrene is

$$\alpha = 0.015 \beta,\, \beta = 1.7*10^6, \, \gamma = 7 \beta/h^2, \, \delta = 0.01 \beta/h,\, h = 5*10^5$$ (3.2)

Figure 3.3 left shows the experimental data (cell count) over 7 days. Figure 3.3 right shows the numerically calculated cell count superimposed over the experimental data. Again, excellent agreement was obtained.

Figure 3.3: The figure on the left show the cell count of human dermal fibroblasts seeded on the tc treated polystyrene. The figure on the right shows the numerically calculated solution (solid curve) to our model, showing the cell count in seven days, superimposed over the experimental data (shown in circles).

The set of parameters in our model (2.1)-(2.3) corresponding to the high proliferation rate obtained for human dermal fibroblasts grown on the aluminum foil is

$$\alpha = 0.018 \beta,\, \beta = 1.7*10^6, \, \gamma = 38 \beta/h^2, \, \delta = 0.0045 \beta/h,\, h = 5*10^5$$ (3.3)

Figure 3.4 shows the experimentally obtained cell count and the numerically calculated approximation of the cell count, showing excellent agreement.

Figure 3.4: The figure on the left show the cell count of human dermal fibroblasts seeded on the aluminum foil. The figure on the right shows the numerically calculated solution (solid curve) to our model, showing the cell count in seven days, superimposed over the experimental data (shown in circles).

Notice that the parameter $\alpha$ in this model is predominantly determined by the cell type, and not by the type of the artificial surface used as base for the cell culture. To capture the proliferation rate of the same cell culture on different artificial surfaces, the coefficients $\gamma$ and $\delta$ play the leading role. The higher the quotient $\gamma/\delta$ the higher the proliferation rate on a given surface.