Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Mathematical Modeling in Wound Healing, Bone Regeneration and Tissue Engineering

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Acta Biotheoretica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The processes of wound healing and bone regeneration and problems in tissue engineering have been an active area for mathematical modeling in the last decade. Here we review a selection of recent models which aim at deriving strategies for improved healing. In wound healing, the models have particularly focused on the inflammatory response in order to improve the healing of chronic wound. For bone regeneration, the mathematical models have been applied to design optimal and new treatment strategies for normal and specific cases of impaired fracture healing. For the field of tissue engineering, we focus on mathematical models that analyze the interplay between cells and their biochemical cues within the scaffold to ensure optimal nutrient transport and maximal tissue production. Finally, we briefly comment on numerical issues arising from simulations of these mathematical models.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aarnes GT, Steen H, Ludvigsen P, Kristiansen LP, Reikerås O (2002) High frequency distraction improves tissue adaptation during leg lengthening in humans. J Orthop Res 20(4):789–792

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ament C, Hofer EP (2000) A fuzzy logic model of fracture healing. J Biomech 33(8):961–968

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • An G (2004) In-silico experiments of existing and hypothetical cytokine-directed clinical trials using agent based modeling. Crit Care Med 76:89–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson A, Chaplain M (1998) Continuous and discrete mathematical models of tumor-induced angiogenesis. Bull Math Biol 60:857–899

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andreykiv A, van Keulen F, Prendergast PJ (2008) Simulation of fracture healing incorporating mechanoregulation of tissue differentiation and dispersal/proliferation of cells. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 7(6):443–461

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailón-Plaza A, van der Meulen MCH (2003) Beneficial effects of moderate, early loading and adverse effects of delayed or excessive loading on bone healing. J Biomech 36:1069–1077

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brownlow HC, Reed A, Simpson AH (2001) Growth factor expression during the development of atrophic non-union. Injury 32(7):519–524

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byrne H, Drasdo D (2009) Individual-based and continuum models of growing cell populations: a comparison. J Math Biol 58(4–5):657–687

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byrne DP, Lacroix D, Planell JA, Kelly DJ, Prendergast PJ (2007) Simulation of tissue differentiation in a scaffold as a function of porosity, Young’s modulus and dissolution rate: application of mechanobiological models in tissue engineering. Biomaterials 28(36):5544–5554

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carter DR, Beaupré GS, Giori NJ, Helms JA (1998) Mechanobiology of skeletal regeneration. Clin Orthop Rel Res 355S:S41–S55

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaplain MAJ, McDougall SR, Anderson ARA (2006) Mathematical modelling of tumour-induced angiogenesis. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 8:233–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Checa S, Prendergast PJ (2009) A mechanobiological model for tissue differentiation that includes angiogenesis: a lattice-based modeling approach. Ann Biomed Eng 37(1):129–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chung CA, Yang CW, Chen CW (2006) Analysis of cell growth and diffusion in a scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering. Biotechnol Bioeng 94(6):1138–1146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Claes LE, Heigele CA (1999) Magnitudes of local stress and strain along bony surfaces predict the course and type of fracture healing. J Biomech 32(3):255–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn JC, Chan WY, Cristini V, Kim JS, Lowengrub J, SSingh, Wu BM (2006) Analysis of cell growth in three-dimensional scaffolds. Tissue Eng 12(4):705–716

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Einhorn TA (1995) Enhancement of fracture healing. J Bone Joint Surg Am 77:940–956

    Google Scholar 

  • Einhorn TA (1998) The cell and molecular biology of fracture healing. Clin Orthop Relat Res 355S:S7–S21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enneking W, Mindell E, Burchardt H, Tomford W (2005) Allograft safety and ethical considerations. Clin Orthop 435:2–4

    Google Scholar 

  • Fries RB, Wallace WA, Roy S, Kuppusamy P, Bergdall V, Gordillo GM, Melvin WS, Sen CK (2005) Dermal excisional wound healing in pigs following treatment with topically applied pure oxygen. Mutat Res 579:172–181

    Google Scholar 

  • Geris L, Gerisch A, Maes C, Carmeliet G, Weiner R, Vander Sloten J, Van Oosterwyck H (2006) Mathematical modeling of fracture healing in mice: comparison between experimental data and numerical simulation results. Med Biol Eng Comput 44(4):280–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geris L, Gerisch A, Vander Sloten J, Weiner R, Van Oosterwyck H (2008) Angiogenesis in bone fracture healing: a bioregulatory model. J Theor Biol 251(1):137–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geris L, Reed AA, Vander Sloten J, Simpson AHRW, Van Oosterwyck H (2010) Occurrence and treatment of bone atrophic non-unions investigated by an integrative approach (in review)

  • Geris L, Vander Sloten J, Van Oosterwyck H (2009) In silico biology of bone modeling and remodeling: regeneration. Philos Transact A Math Phys Eng Sci 367(1895):2031–2053

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geris L, Vander Sloten J, Van Oosterwyck H (2010) Connecting biology and mechanics in fracture healing: an integrated mathematical modeling framework for the study of nonunions. Biomech Model Mechanobiol (in press)

  • Gerisch A, Chaplain MAJ (2008) Mathematical modelling of cancer cell invasion of tissue: local and non-local models and the effect of adhesion. J Theor Biol 250:684–704

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerisch A, Geris L (2007) A finite volume spatial discretisation for taxis-diffusion-reaction systems with axi-symmetry: application to fracture healing. In: Deutsch A, Brusch L, Byrne H, de Vries G, Herzel H-P (eds) Advances in mathematical modeling of biological systems, volume I. Birkhäuser, Boston, pp 303–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodship AE, Cunningham JL, Kenwright J (1998) Strain rate and timing of stimulation in mechanical modulation of fracture healing. Clin Orthop Relat Res 355S:S105–S115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenwald S, Boden S, Goldberg V, Khan Y, Laurencin CT, Rosier RN (2001) The Committee on Biological Implants, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Bone-graft substitutes: facts, fictions, and applications. J Bone Joint Surg Am 83A(Suppl II):98–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenwald S, Boden S, Goldberg V, Khan Y, Laurencin CT, Rosier RN (2003) Bone grafts substitutes: facts, fictions & applications. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

  • Hopf HW, Gibson JJ, Angeles AP, Constant JS, Feng JJ, Rollins MD, Zamirul Hussain M, Hunt TK (2005) Hyperoxia and angiogenesis. Wound Rep Reg 13:558–564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt TK, Hopf H, Hussain Z (2000) Physiology of wound healing. Adv Skin Wound Care 13:6–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Ilizarov GA (1989) The tension-stress effect on the genesis and growth of tissues. Part I. The influence of stability of fixation and soft-tissue preservation. Clin Orthop Relat Res 238:249–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Ilizarov GA (1989) The tension-stress effect on the genesis and growth of tissues: Part II. The influence of the rate and frequency of distraction. Clin Orthop Relat Res 239:263–285

    Google Scholar 

  • Isaksson H, Comas O, van Donkelaar C, Mediavilla J, Wilson W, Huiskes R, Ito K (2007) Bone regeneration during distraction osteogenesis: mechano-regulation by shear strain and fluid velocity. J Biomech 40(9):2002–2011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kino-Oka M, Maeda Y, Yamamoto T, Sugawara K, Taya M (2005) A kinetic modeling of chondrocyte culture for manufacture of tissue-engineered cartilage. J Biosci Bioeng 99(3):197–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kroll MH (2000) Parathyroid hormone temporal effects on bone formation and resorption. Bull Math Biol 62:163–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuehn BM (2007) Chronic wound care guidelines issued. JAMA J Am Med Assoc 297:938–939

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lauffenburger D (1983) Measurement of phenomenological parameters for leukocyte motility and chemotaxis. Agent Actions Suppl 65:235–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus GS, Cooper DM, Knighton DR, Margolis DJ, Pecoraro RE, Rodeheaver G, Robson MC (1994) Definitions and guidelines for assessment of wounds and evaluation of healing. Arch Dermatol 130:489–493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemon G, King JR, Byrne HM, Jensen OE, Shakesheff KM (2006) Mathematical modelling of engineered tissue growth using a multiphase porous flow mixture theory. J Math Biol 52(5):571–594

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li G, Simpson AH, Kenwright J, Triffitt JT (1999) Effect of lengthening rate on angiogenesis during distraction osteogenesis. J Orthop Res 17(3):362–367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li G, Virdi AS, Ashhurst DE, Simpson AH, Triffitt JT (2000) Tissues formed during distraction osteogenesis in the rabbit are determined by the distraction rate: localization of the cells that express the mRNAs and the distribution of types I and II collagens. Cell Biol Int 24(1):25–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loots A (1998) Differences in cellular infiltrate and extracellular matrix of chronic diabetic and venous ulcers vs acute wounds. J Invest Dermatol 111:850–857

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacArthur BD, Please CP, Taylor M, Oreffo RO (2004) Mathematical modelling of skeletal repair. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 313(4):825–833

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mankin HJ, Springfield DS, Gebhardt MC, Tomford WW (1992) Current status of allografting for bone tumors. Orthop 15:1147–1154

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathieu D (2002) Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the management of non-healing wounds. In: Bakker DJ, Cramer FS (eds) Hyperbaric surgery. Best Publishing, Flagstaff, AZ, pp 317–339

  • Matzavinos A, Kao C, Green JEF, Sutradhar A, Miller M, Friedman A (2009) Modeling oxygen transport in surgical tissue transfer. PNAS USA 106:12091–12096

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDougall SR, Anderson ARA, Chaplain MAJ, Sherratt JA (2002) Mathematical modelling of flow through vascular networks: implications for tumour-induced angiogenesis and chemotherapy strategies. Bull Math Biol 64:673–702

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meijer GJ, de Bruijn J, Koole R, van Blitterswijk CA (2007) Cell-based bone tissue engineering. PLoS Med 4(2):206–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mi Q, Riviere B, Clermont G, Steed DL, Vodovotz Y (2007) Agent-based model of inflammation and wound healing: insights into diabetic foot ulcer pathology and the role of transforming growth factor-β 1. Wound Rep Reg 15:671–682

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pettet G, Byrne HM, McElwain DLS, Norbury J (1996) A model of wound healing angiogenesis in soft tissue. Math Biosci 136:35–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pettet G, Chaplain MAJ, McElwain DLS, Byrne HM (1996) On the role of angiogenesis in wound healing. Proc R Soc London B 263:1487–1493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pivonka P, Zimak J, Smith DW, Gardine BSr, Dunstan CR, Sims NA, Martin TJ, Mundy GR (2008) Model structure and control of bone remodeling: a theoretical study. Bone 43(2):249–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Praemer A, Furner S, Rice DP (1992) Musculoskeletal conditions in the United States. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

  • Praemer A, Furner S, Rice DP (1999) Musculoskeletal conditions in the United States. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Rosemont

  • Prendergast PJ, Huiskes R, Søballe K (1997) ESB Research Award 1996: biophysical stimuli on cells during tissue differentiation at implant interfaces. J Biomech 30(6):539–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quarto R, Mastrogiacomo M, Cancedda R, Kutepov SM, Mukhachev V, Lavroukov A, Kon E, Marcacci M (2001) Repair of large bone defects with the use of autologous bone marrow stromal cells. N Engl J Med 344:385–386

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapala K (1996) The effect of tumor necrosis factor-α on wound healing. An experimental study. Ann Chir Gynaecol 211 (Supp):1–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed AA, Joyner CJ, Isefuku S, Brownlow HC, Simpson AH (2003) Vascularity in a new model of atrophic nonunion. J Bone Joint Surg Br 85(4):604–610

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reina-Romo E, Gómez-Benito MJ, García-Aznar JM, Domínguez J, Doblaré M (2009) Modeling distraction osteogenesis: analysis of the distraction rate. Biomech Model Mechanobiol (in press)

  • Richards M, Goulet JA, Weiss JA, Waanders NA, Schaffler MB, Goldstein SA (1998) Bone regeneration and fracture healing. Experience with distraction osteogenesis model. Clin Orthop Relat Res 355S:S191–S204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts AB, Sporn MB (1996) Transforming growth factor-β. In: Clark RAF (eds) The molecular cellular biology of wound repair. Plenum Press, New York, pp 275–308

  • Roy S, Biswas S, Khanna S, Gordillo GM, Bergdall V, Green J, Marsh CB, Gould LJ, Sen CK (2009) Characterization of a pre-clinical model of chronic ischemic wound. Physiol Genomics 37:211–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryser MD, Nigam N, Komarova SV (2009) Mathematical modeling of spatio-temporal dynamics of a single bone multicellular unit. J Bone Miner Res (in press)

  • Sanz-Herrera JA, García-Aznar JM, Doblaré M (2009) On scaffold designing for bone regeneration: a computational multiscale approach. Acta Biomater 5(1):219–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schugart RC, Friedman A, Zhao R, Sen CK (2008) Wound angiogenesis as a function of tissue oxygen tension: a mathematical model. PNAS USA 105:2628–2633

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sengers BG, Taylor M, Please CP, Oreffo RO (2007) Computational modelling of cell spreading and tissue regeneration in porous scaffolds. Biomat 28(10):1926–1240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sherratt JA, Dallon JC (2002) Theoretical models of wound healing: past successes and future challenges. Comptes Rendues Biologies 325:557–564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steed DL, Donohoe D, Webster MW, Linsley L (1996) Effect of extensive debridement and treatment on the healing of diabetic foot ulcers. Diabetic Ulcer Study Group. J Am Coll Surg 183:61–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephanou A, McDougall SR, Anderson ARA, Chaplain MAJ (2006) Mathematical modelling of flow in 2D and 3D vascular networks: applications to anti-angiogenic and chemotherapeutic drug strategies. Math Comput Model 41:1137–1156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stokes CL, Lauffenburger DA (1991) Analysis of the roles of microvessel endothelial cell random motility and chemotaxis in angiogenesis. J Theor Biol 152:377–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taguchi K, Ogawa R, Migita M, Hanawa H, Ito H, Orimo H (2005) The role of bone marrow-derived cells in bone fracture repair in a green fluorescent protein chimeric mouse model. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 331(1):31–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thackham JA, McElwain DLS, Long RJ (2008) The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat chronic wounds: a review. Wound Rep Reg 16:321–330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thackham JA, McElwain DLS, Turner IW (2009) Computational approaches to solving equations arising from wound healing. Bull Math Biol 71(1):211–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vacanti CA, Bonassar LJ, Vacanti MP, Shufflebarger J (2001) Replacement of an avulsed phalanx with tissue-engineered bone. N Engl J Med 344:1511–1514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vodovotz Y, Clermont G, Chow CG (2004) An, mathematical models of the acute inflammatory response. Curr Opin Crit Care 10:383–390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker DC, Hill G, Wood SM, Smallwood RH, Southgate J (2004) Agent-based computational modeling of epithelial cell monolayers: predicting the effect of exogenous calcium concentration on the rate of wound closure. IEEE Trans Nanobiosci 3:153–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waugh HV, Sherratt JA (2006) Macrophasge dynamics in diabetic wound healing. Bull Math Biol 68:197–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waugh HV, Sherratt JA (2007) Modeling the effects of treating diabetic wounds with engineered skin substitutes. Wound Rep Reg 15:556–565

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wornom IL, Buchman SR (1992) Bone and cartilaginous tissue. In: Cohen IK, Diegelmann RF, Lindblad WJ (eds) Wound healing: biochemical and clinical aspects. Saunders, pp 356–383

  • Xue C, Friedman A, Sen C (2009) A mathematical model of ischemic cutaneous wounds. PNAS USA 106:16782–16787

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zykova SN (2000) Altered cytokine and nitric oxide secretion in vitro by macrophages from diabetic type-II like db/db mice. Diabetes 49:1451–1458

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

LG is a postdoctoral fellow of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). RCS was supported by National Science Foundation Award 0112050.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Liesbet Geris.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Geris, L., Gerisch, A. & Schugart, R.C. Mathematical Modeling in Wound Healing, Bone Regeneration and Tissue Engineering. Acta Biotheor 58, 355–367 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10441-010-9112-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10441-010-9112-y

Keywords

Navigation