Implementação computacional de um modelo matemático do sistema imune inato

Abstract

The Human Immune System (HIS) consists of a complex network of cells, tissues and organs. The HIS plays an crucial role in defending the body against diseases. To achieve this goal, the immune system identifies and kills a wide range of external pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, and the body's own cells which are behaving abnormally. If these cells were not eliminated, they could give rise to tumors. The HIS is also responsible for removing dead cells and replacing some of the structures of the body. The understanding of the HIS is therefore essential. However, its complexity and the intense interaction among several components, in various levels, make this task extremely complex. Some of its aspects, however, may be better understood if a computational model is used, which allows researchers to test a large number of hypotheses in a short period of time. In the future we can envision a computer program that can simulate the entire HIS. This computer program will allow scientists to develop and test new drugs against various diseases, as well as to treat organ or tissue transplant rejection, without requiring animals experiments. In this scenario, our work aims to implement and simulate a mathematical model of the HIS. Its main objective is to reproduce the dynamics of a immune response to lipopoly-saccharides (LPS) in a microscopic section of a tissue. The mathematical model is composed of a system of partial differential equations (PDEs) that defines the dynamics of some tissues and molecules of the HIS during the immune response to the LPS.