Allometric Scaling and Cell Ratios in Multi-Organ in vitro Models of Human Metabolism

Intelligent in vitro models able to recapitulate the physiological interactions between tissues in the body have enormous potential as they enable detailed studies on specific two-way or higher order tissue communication. These models are the first step toward building an integrated picture of systemic metabolism and signaling in physiological or pathological conditions. However, the rational design of in vitro models of cell–cell or cell–tissue interaction is difficult as quite often cell culture experiments are driven by the device used, rather than by design considerations. Indeed, very little research has been carried out on in vitro models of metabolism connecting different cell or tissue types in a physiologically and metabolically relevant manner. Here, we analyze the physiological relationship between cells, cell metabolism, and exchange in the human body using allometric rules, downscaling them to an organ-on-a-plate device. In particular, in order to establish appropriate cell ratios in the system in a rational manner, two different allometric scaling models (cell number scaling model and metabolic and surface scaling model) are proposed and applied to a two compartment model of hepatic-vascular metabolic cross-talk. The theoretical scaling studies illustrate that the design and hence relevance of multi-organ models is principally determined by experimental constraints. Two experimentally feasible model configurations are then implemented in a multi-compartment organ-on-a-plate device. An analysis of the metabolic response of the two configurations demonstrates that their glucose and lipid balance is quite different, with only one of the two models recapitulating physiological-like homeostasis. In conclusion, not only do cross-talk and physical stimuli play an important role in in vitro models, but the numeric relationship between cells is also crucial to recreate in vitro interactions, which can be extrapolated to the in vivo reality.

From steady-state to synchronized yeast glycolytic oscillations I: model construction

An existing detailed kinetic model for the steady-state behavior of yeast glycolysis was tested for its ability to simulate dynamic behavior. Using a small subset of experimental data, the original model was adapted by adjusting its parameter values in three optimization steps. Only small adaptations to the original model were required for realistic simulation of experimental data for limit-cycle oscillations. The greatest changes were required for parameter values for the phosphofructokinase reaction. The importance of ATP for the oscillatory mechanism and NAD(H) for inter-and intra-cellular communications and synchronization was evident in the optimization steps and simulation experiments. In an accompanying paper [du Preez F et al. (2012) FEBS J279, 2823-2836], we validate the model for a wide variety of experiments on oscillatory yeast cells. The results are important for re-use of detailed kinetic models in modular modeling approaches and for approaches such as that used in the Silicon Cell initiative.

DATABASE

The mathematical models described here have been submitted to the JWS Online Cellular Systems Modelling Database and can be accessed at http://jjj.biochem.sun.ac.za/database/dupreez/index.html.