Egberts Ginger, Vermolen Fred, van Zuijlen Paul
Computational Mathematics Group, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Hasselt, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
Dutch Burns Foundation, Beverwijk, The Netherlands.
Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2025 Aug;24(4):1313-1326. doi: 10.1007/s10237-025-01969-0. Epub 2025 Jun 5.
We present a continuum hypothesis-based two-dimensional biomorphoelastic model describing post-burn scar hypertrophy and contraction. The model is based on morphoelasticity for permanent deformations and combined with a chemical-biological model that incorporates cellular densities, collagen density, and the concentration of chemoattractants. We perform a sensitivity analysis for the independent parameters of the model and focus on the effects on the features of the post-burn dermal thickness given a low myofibroblast apoptosis rate. We conclude that the most sensitive parameters are the equilibrium collagen concentration, the signaling molecule secretion rate and the cell force constant, and link these results to stability constraints. Next, we observe a relationship between the simulated contraction and hypertrophy and show the effects for significant variations in the myofibroblast apoptosis rate (high/low). Our ultimate goal is to optimize post-burn treatments, by developing models that predict with a high degree of certainty. We consider the presented model and sensitivity analysis to be a step toward their construction.
我们提出了一种基于连续统假设的二维生物形态弹性模型，用于描述烧伤后瘢痕的肥大和收缩。该模型基于永久变形的形态弹性，并结合了一个化学生物学模型，该模型纳入了细胞密度、胶原蛋白密度和趋化因子浓度。我们对模型的独立参数进行了敏感性分析，并在成肌纤维细胞凋亡率较低的情况下，重点研究了对烧伤后真皮厚度特征的影响。我们得出结论，最敏感的参数是平衡胶原蛋白浓度、信号分子分泌率和细胞力常数，并将这些结果与稳定性约束联系起来。接下来，我们观察了模拟的收缩和肥大之间的关系，并展示了成肌纤维细胞凋亡率（高/低）显著变化的影响。我们的最终目标是通过开发具有高度确定性预测能力的模型来优化烧伤后的治疗。我们认为所提出的模型和敏感性分析是朝着构建这些模型迈出的一步。
