Reaction-Diffusion Model of PDGF-driven Recruitment in Experimental Glioblastoma

Abstract

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) drives the formation of gliomas in an experimental animal model, which notably involves the recruitment of large numbers of glial progenitor cells. (Assanah 2006). In order to understand the underlying mechanism, particularly what factors influence the degree of recruitment, and how varied amounts of PDGF would affect the gross characteristics and overall appearance of tumors in the brain, we adapted a reaction diffusion model of glioma, which has been used for analyzing clinical data, to model the interactions at play in these experimental models.