A Gibbs point field model for the spatial pattern of coronary capillaries

R. Karch, M. Neumann, F. Neumann, R. Ullrich, J. Neumüller and W. Schreiner

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2006, vol. 369, issue 2, 599-611

Abstract: We propose a Gibbs point field model for the pattern of coronary capillaries in transverse histologic sections from human hearts, based on the physiology of oxygen supply from capillaries to tissue. To specify the potential energy function of the Gibbs point field, we draw on an analogy between the equation of steady-state oxygen diffusion from an array of parallel capillaries to the surrounding tissue and Poisson's equation for the electrostatic potential of a two-dimensional distribution of identical point charges. The influence of factors other than diffusion is treated as a thermal disturbance. On this basis, we arrive at the well-known two-dimensional one-component plasma, a system of identical point charges exhibiting a weak (logarithmic) repulsive interaction that is completely characterized by a single dimensionless parameter. By variation of this parameter, the model is able to reproduce many characteristics of real capillary patterns.

Keywords: Capillaries; Point field process; One-component plasma; Computer simulation; Cardiomyopathy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:369:y:2006:i:2:p:599-611

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2006.02.018

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