Biophysical Simulations using QuickField

Webinar recorded on December 21, 2010.

Dr. James Claycomb who recently spoke about QuickField Analysis for Non-Destructive Evaluation simulations, will continue his series of presentations by this new webinar about biophysical simulations using QuickField software.

Topics include calculating field modulated membrane potentials in external fields. Constructing models of cells surrounded by plasma membranes containing organelles such as mitochondria will be discussed. The LabelMover feature will be demonstrated in calculating the variation of plasma and organelle membrane potentials as a function of frequency.

• Watch recorded webinar parts:
  
  Introduction
  
  1. Scale modeling of biological membranes requires a hyperfine mesh density
  
  2. Membrane potential
  
  3. Membrane charges
  
  4. Modulation of membrane potential by external fields
  
  5. Bioimpedance simulation
  
  6. Mitochondrion
  
  7. Dielectrophoresis force
  
  Conclusions
  
• Watch on YouTube:
  Part 1. Contents. Relative size scale of cells. Hyperfine mesh density. Geometry of a problem. Axis-symmetry. Boundary conditions.
  Part 2. Membrane potential simulation. Labelling the model, setting properties. Permittivity, charge density. Analyzing results. Electric field. Contour plot spanning the cell. Field strength. Simulating the presence of charges inside of a membrane. Another electrostatic calculation. Looking at the results, a dipole field.
  Part 3. Modulations of membrane potential by extraneous field. Physical effects which affect dielectric response of living cells. Maxwell-Wagner effect. Simulating two living cells in AC conduction problem. 10Hz frequency. Electric field strength. Induced field inside the membrane. 10 GHz frequency. Electric field and current are penetrating the cells. Animated picture of results.
  Part 4. Bioimpedance simulations. Electrical properties of tissue or cell suspension. AC conduction module. Setting the properties: electric conductivity, current density. How to look at frequency dependence. Parametric analysis with LabelMover. Setting parameters. Reactive current are changing more rapidly than active current. How to further analyze the results.
  Part 5. Organelle (mitochondrion) simulation. Geometry, properties. AC conduction, 10 Hz. Contour plots of electric field. Field at greater frequency.
  Part 6. Biological objects in external field. Dielectrophoresis Forces. Analytical formulae. Electrostatics problem. Setting a floating conductor. Calculating the force. AC conduction problem. Simulating two electrodes with a dielectric particle. Mechanical force. Different integral values to look at.
  Part 7. Key points of webinar. Additional examples in textbooks by Dr. James Claycomb. DC conduction, heat transfer, coupled field problems (or multiphysics), modeling electrical stress forces etc. Questions.
• Read presentation (in PDF format).
• Download simulation examples:
  Biological cell in the external AC electric field