A free boundary model for transport-induced neurite growth

We introduce a free boundary model to study the effect of vesicle transport onto neurite growth. It consists of systems of drift-diffusion equations describing the evolution of the density of antero- and retrograde vesicles in each neurite coupled to reservoirs located at the soma and the growth con...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Greta Marino, Jan-Frederik Pietschmann, Max Winkler
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press
Series:European Journal of Applied Mathematics
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0956792524000718/type/journal_article
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Summary:We introduce a free boundary model to study the effect of vesicle transport onto neurite growth. It consists of systems of drift-diffusion equations describing the evolution of the density of antero- and retrograde vesicles in each neurite coupled to reservoirs located at the soma and the growth cones of the neurites, respectively. The model allows for a change of neurite length as a function of the vesicle concentration in the growth cones. After establishing existence and uniqueness for the time-dependent problem, we briefly comment on possible types of stationary solutions. Finally, we provide numerical studies on biologically relevant scales using a finite volume scheme. We illustrate the capability of the model to reproduce cycles of extension and retraction.
ISSN:0956-7925
1469-4425