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  • Numerical modeling of cardiomyocytes using Finite Element Method
    Publication . Oliveira, Joana; Rodrigues, José Alberto
    In recent years, the use of mathematical and geometrical models has been enabling the simulation of biological complex systems. Models of cardiac cells provide the possibility to understand the biochemistry and biomechanics of cardiac cells and cardiovascular diseases. The main objective of this work is to simulate the calcium flux and contractile activity of the cardiomyocyte, resorting on the Finite Element Method, and to develop a modelling tool with which we can simulate the key physiological aspects of the cardiac myocytes: Calcium concentration and contraction potential (% of shortening). To test our model's performance several tests were applied varying the local active cellular tension driven by the intracellular calcium concentration (Tu), and the position of T-tubules in the cell, from left to right and up to bottom. Our results show that the behaviour of our model is faithful to what is known to be true with the cell's physiology and pathological conditions.
  • Numerical simulation of excitation-contraction in isolated cardiomyocytes
    Publication . Rodrigues, José Alberto; Oliveira, Joana
    We present and study a mathematical model to simulate the calcium flux and contractile activity of the cardiomyocyte, resorting on the Finite Element Method. This Model of cardiac cells provide the possibility to understand the biochemistry and biomechanics of cardiac cells and cardiovascular diseases. Heart Failure is considered the ultimate cardiac disease, a condition with no effective cure which is highly related with the function of cardiomyocytes and consequently with the concentration of calcium, affecting the contractile activity of the cardiomyocyte. In order to test our model’s performance, several tests were applied varying the local active cellular tension driven by the intracellular calcium concentration and the localization of the main calcium influx. The results are expressed in the graphics of calcium concentration over time, maximum cardiomyocyte contraction and the gradient of calcium diffusion. Our results show that the behaviour of our models is faithful to what is known to be true with cell’s physiology and pathological conditions.