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Abstract:In this study we present a computational approach to the generation of the major geometric structures of an idealized murine lymph node (LN). In this generation, we consider the major compartments such as the subcapsular sinus, B cell follicles, trabecular and medullar sinuses, blood vessels and the T cell zone with a primary focus on the fibroblastic reticular cell (FRC) network. Confocal microscopy data of LN macroscopic structures and structural properties of the FRC network have been generated and utilized in the present model. The methodology sets a library of modules that can be used to assemble a solid geometric LN model and subsequently generate an adaptive mesh model capable of implementing transport phenomena. Overall, based on the use of high-resolution confocal microscopy and morphological analysis of cell 3D reconstructions, we have developed a computational model of the LN geometry, suitable for further investigation in studies of fluid transport and cell migration in this immunologically essential organ.

Abstract:The lymphatic system is a body-wide network of lymphatic vessels and lymphoid organs. The complexity of the structural and functional organization of the lymphatic system implies the necessity of using computational modeling approaches to unravel the mechanisms of its regulation in quantitative terms. Although it is a vital part of the circulatory and immune systems, the lymphatic system remains poorly investigated as a mathematical modeling object. Modeling of the lymphatic vessel network needs to be established using a systematic approach in order to advance the model-driven research of this important physiological system. In our study, we elucidate key general features underlying the 3D structural organization of the lymphatic system in order to develop computational geometry and network graph models of the human lymphatic system based on available anatomical data (from the PlasticBoy project), which provides an estimate of the structure of the lymphatic system, and to analyze the topological properties of the resulting models.