Young Researchers Workshop:
Multiscale phenomena: modeling, analysis and computation

Mathematical modeling and simulations of cell mitosis by a phase field approach

Jia Zhao

University of South Carolina

During a cell cycle, mitosis is a process, in which a mother cell duplicates into two generically similar daughter cells. In the initial stage of mitosis, the mother cell, attached on a substrate, would undergo a dramatical shape change by detaching from the substance and forming a round surface. At the late stage of mitosis, a contractile ring would form in cell orbit and the mother cell would split into two daughter cells, which is known as cytokinesis for eukaryotic cells. Recently, we have developed a series of three-dimensional hydrodynamic multi-phase models by a phase field approach, studying mitosis cell rounding and cytokinesis. Qualitatively patterns of cell rounding and cell splitting process have been observed. In this talk, our preliminary study on the mechanism and controlling factors of cell mitosis would be present. 3D numerical simulations will be shown, as well.