Abstract : Partial differential equations describing the dynamics of cell population densities from a fluid mechanical perspective can model the growth of avascular tumours. In this framework, we consider a system of equations that describes the interaction between a population of dividing cells and a population of non-dividing cells. The two cell populations are characterised by different mobilities. We present the results of numerical simulations displaying two-dimensional spherical waves with sharp interfaces between dividing and non-dividing cells. Furthermore, we numerically observe how different ratios between the mobilities change the morphology of the interfaces, and lead to the emergence of finger-like patterns of invasion above a threshold. Motivated by these simulations, we study the existence of one-dimensional travelling wave solutions.
Tommaso Lorenzi, Alexander Lorz, Benoît Perthame. On interfaces between cell populations with different mobilities. Kinetic and Related Models , AIMS, 2017, 10 (1), pp.299-311. ⟨hal-01257180v2⟩