Developing mechanistic model of biological cell to explore cell motion in constricted microfluidic channels

We develop a mechanistic model for living cells to simulate their motion in a microfluidic channel with constrictions that cause rapid and large cell deformations. Such constricted microchannels are promising for mechanical poration of cellular membrane enabling intracellular delivery of biological reagents in cell engineering applications. The cell model is based on the dissipative particle dynamics and incorporates an elastic outer membrane, cytoskeletal network represented by a randomly interconnected elastic filaments, and viscous cytosol. The parameters of the model are set to reproduce experimental data on cell deformation dynamics in microfluid flow. We use the model to probe the deformation and relaxation of cells at different flow conditions and microchannel geometries to explore their effects on cell dynamic responses and membrane stresses.