The long range objectives of this research are to further the understanding of the dynamical behavior of aggregates of interacting cells, and to apply this knowledge to problems of pattern formation in developmental biology and to problems in physiology. The proposed research falls into three major categories: (1) studies on signal detection, adaptation and aggregation in Dictyostelium discoideum, (2) studies on synchronization, phase-locking and other phenomena in coupled cells, and (3) studies on pattern formation in generalized Turing systems.
The specific aims i n (1) are to extend a model of adaptation in Dictyostelium discoideum to incorporate the dynamical behavior of the cyclic GMP network, to incorporate adaptation and relay in a model for signaling and chemotaxis, and to develop continuum descriptions of aggregation. The objectives in (2) are to understand the dynamics of coupled cells, both forced and unforced, under various modes of coupling, and to analyze a realistic model of pacemaker cells with a view toward understanding simple models of caridac arrhythmias.
The aim i n (3) is to study reaction-diffusion equations with modulated diffusion coefficients to determine the sensitivity of spatial pattern formation in such models to changes in the size and shape of the developing tissue. The approach to these problems will be as follows. First the relevant experimental literature will be analyzed to provide guidance in the formulation of the mathematical models. Next the governing equations will be analyzed to develop a qualitative understanding of the model and its parametric sensitivity. Finally the necessary analytical and numerical techniques for solving the equations will be developed, and the numerical simulations involved will be done. The work on signal relay and adaptation will lead to a better understanding of signaling, chemotaxis and aggregation in Dictyostelium discoideum, of chemotaxis in other systems, and of the dynamics of calcium-cyclic nucleotide networks. The studies on pattern formation will contribute to the understanding of both normal and abnormal development in biological systems, and in particular, to the understanding of how feedback control of interactions between cells affects the stability and size-invariance of prepatterns in developing systems. The analysis of synchronization in cellular networks should provide insight into the origin of certain types of cardiac arrhythmias, and may elucidate the role of various types of cell-cell interactions in epileptogenesis.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01GM029123-07
Application #
3276605
Study Section
(SSS)
Project Start
1980-09-01
Project End
1991-08-31
Budget Start
1986-09-01
Budget End
1987-08-31
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Utah
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Salt Lake City
State
UT
Country
United States
Zip Code
84112
Gou, Jia; Lin, Lin; Othmer, Hans G (2018) A Model for the Hippo Pathway in the Drosophila Wing Disc. Biophys J 115:737-747
Wu, Hao; de León, Marco Avila Ponce; Othmer, Hans G (2018) Getting in shape and swimming: the role of cortical forces and membrane heterogeneity in eukaryotic cells. J Math Biol 77:595-626
Lin, Lin; Othmer, Hans G (2017) Improving Parameter Inference from FRAP Data: an Analysis Motivated by Pattern Formation in the Drosophila Wing Disc. Bull Math Biol 79:448-497
Kim, Yangjin; Jeon, Hyejin; Othmer, Hans (2017) The Role of the Tumor Microenvironment in Glioblastoma: A Mathematical Model. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 64:519-527
Kan, Xingye; Lee, Chang Hyeong; Othmer, Hans G (2016) A multi-time-scale analysis of chemical reaction networks: II. Stochastic systems. J Math Biol 73:1081-1129
Sanft, Kevin R; Othmer, Hans G (2015) Constant-complexity stochastic simulation algorithm with optimal binning. J Chem Phys 143:074108
Wang, Qixuan; Othmer, Hans G (2015) The performance of discrete models of low Reynolds number swimmers. Math Biosci Eng 12:1303-20
Kim, Yangjin; Othmer, Hans G (2015) Hybrid models of cell and tissue dynamics in tumor growth. Math Biosci Eng 12:1141-56
Averina, Viktoria A; Othmer, Hans G; Fink, Gregory D et al. (2015) A mathematical model of salt-sensitive hypertension: the neurogenic hypothesis. J Physiol 593:3065-75
Umulis, David M; Othmer, Hans G (2015) The role of mathematical models in understanding pattern formation in developmental biology. Bull Math Biol 77:817-45

Showing the most recent 10 out of 62 publications