Discrete Element Framework for Modelling Extracellular Matrix, Deformable Cells and Subcellular Components
Fig 3
Cell initialisation procedure.
a) Initial placement of particles defining the different parts of the cell. b) Cell after the initialisation procedure when no adhesion to the boundary is used. c) A spread cell geometry can be created by using attraction of membrane particles to the basement membrane (BM). The spread cell geometry depicted was achieved using a spring constant = 1×10−11 N/m and an influence radius δBM = 3μm for the BM. We have used a colour scale to indicate the net contact force experienced by each of the cell’s internal particles—the darker the colour the higher the force.