Sensitivity Analysis of a 2D Stochastic Agent-Based and PDE Diffusion Model for Cancer-on-Chip Experiments

Abstract

The present work extends a previous paper where an agent-based and two-dimensional partial differential diffusion model was introduced for describing immune cell dynamics (leukocytes) in cancer-on-chip experiments. In the present work, new features are introduced for the dynamics of leukocytes and for their interactions with tumor cells, improving the adherence of the model to what is observed in laboratory experiments. Each system’s solution realization is a family of biased random walk trajectories, affected by the chemotactic gradients and in turn affecting them. A sensitivity analysis with respect to the model parameters is performed in order to assess the effect of their variation on both tumor cells and on leukocyte dynamics.

Keywords

• partial differential equations
• cellular automata
• stochastic processes
• biased random walks
• mathematical biology
• sensitivity analysis