Towards a realistic 3D deformable model of tissues

Colorectal Cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer within western society. It is known to develop within the epithelia of the colon, localised to distinct invaginations within the intestinal wall, known as the crypts of Lieberkürn. While much is known about these crypts, the biomechanical process responsible for their structural maintenance remains unknown. One such process believed to be responsible for the crypts structural stability is believed to be a result of the surrounding stromal tissue. Throughout this talk a 3D, multilayer, cell-centre model of tissue deformation will be presented, where cell movement is governed by the minimisation of a bending potential across the epithelium, and cell-cell adhesion. Using this model, we hope to provide a realistic description of colonic crypt epithelium. Thus far, we have found that the model is capable of describing generalised tissue deformations, and we hope to extend it to describe crypt homeostasis.