Mortar finite element method for cell response to applied electric field

Abstract

The response of passive and active biological cell to applied electric field is investigated with a Mortar Finite Element Method MFEM. Cells response is a process with two different time scales, one in microseconds for the cell polarization and the other in milliseconds for the active response of the cell due to the complex dynamics of the ion-channel current on the cell membrane. The mathematical model to describe the dynamics of the cell response is based on the conservation law of electric current in a conductive medium. By introducing an additional variable known as Lagrange multiplier defined on the cell interface, the boundary value problem associated to the conservation of electric current is decoupled from the initial value problem associated to the passive and active response of the cell. The proposed method allows to solve electric potential distribution in arbitrary cell geometry and arrangements. In order to validate the presented methodology, the h-convergence order of the MFEM is numerically investigated. The numerical and exact solutions describing cell polarization are also compared. Finally, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method, the active response to an applied electric field in cells clusters and cells with arbitrary geometry are investigated.