Mathematical model of electrotaxis in osteoblastic cells

Electrotaxis is the cell migration in the presence of an electric field (EF). This migration is parallel to the EF vector and overrides chemical migration cues. In this paper we introduce a mathematical model for the electrotaxis in osteoblastic cells. The model is evaluated using different EF strengths and different configurations of both electrical and chemical stimuli. Accordingly, we found that the cell migration speed is described as the combination of an electrical and a chemical term. Cell migration is faster when both stimuli orient cell migration towards the same direction. In contrast, a reduced speed is obtained when the EF vector is opposed to the direction of the chemical stimulus. Numerical relations were obtained to quantify the cell migration speed at each configuration. Additional calculations for the cell colonization of a substrate also show mediation of the EF strength. Therefore, the term electro-osteoconduction is introduced to account the electrically induced cell colonization. Since numerical results compare favorably with experimental evidence, the model is suitable to be extended to other types of cells, and to numerically explore the influence of EF during wound healing.

► We introduce a model for osteogenic cells exposed to an electric field (EF).
► The model reproduces electrotaxis and its overriding effect on chemotaxis.
► Numerical results show that cell migration speed is controlled by the EF strength.
► Electro-osteoconduction is introduced to refer the EF-controlled cell colonization.
► The model is suitable to describe electrotaxis in other cell types.