Normal erythropoiesis and development of multiple myeloma

Abstract

We develop a hybrid multi-scale model of normal and pathological erythropoiesis, the process of red blood cell production in the bone marrow. Cells are described by a soft sphere model. They can move, divide and die by apoptosis. Their fate is determined by intracellular proteins, by extracellular substances and surrounding cells. We apply this model to describe normal function of erythropoiesis and the development of multiple myeloma in the bone marrow. It is a malignant disease characterized by proliferation of mutated plasma cells which form multiple tumors in the bone marrow. They disrupt erythroblastic islands by direct mechanical contact and due to apoptotic cytokines produced by myeloma cells. The development of the disease leads to decrease of red blood cell production and to anemia.