Spontaneous Alignment of a Three-Dimensional Model of Cultured Endothelial Cells under Steady Flow Conditions Studied by Computational Fluid Mechanics as an Emergent System

Spontaneous alignment of arterial endothelial cells was simulated using a three-dimensional computational fluid mechanical model of cultured endothelial cells. Endothelial cells were simulated using a 2D Gaussian distribution function, and placed on a flat plate with randomly assigned rotational movement. The Navier-Stokes equations of Newtonian fluid under steady flow conditions were solved using a finite volume method, and the absolute wall shear stress (WSS) at the summit of cells was calculated. Only the movement of cells which reduces the WSS was conserved under steady flow condition. The cell model eventually showed alignment after varying lengths of simulation time. This phenomenon was thought to simulate the flow-induced alignment of the endothelial cells in vivo.