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Abstract
Chronic inflammation is a process where dendritic cells (DCs)
are constantly sampling antigen in the skin and migrating to
lymph nodes where they induce the activation and proliferation
of T cells. The T cells then travel back to the skin where they
release cytokines that induce/maintain the inflammatory
condition. This process is cyclic and ongoing.
We created a differential equations model to reflect the
initial stages of the inflammatory process. In particular, we
modeled antigen stimulation of DCs in the skin, movement of DCs
from the skin to a lymph node, and the subsequent activation of
T cells in the lymph node.
The model was able to simulate DC and T cell responses to
antigen introduction taking place within realistic time scales.
The goal of such a preliminary model is simply to be able to
capture biologically realistic dynamics. Future models can
then build on this preliminary model in directions that can
potentially allow not only for model validation, but for
predictions and hypothesis testing.
Mathematics Subject Classification: Primary: 92C50; Secondary: 92B05.
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