arXiv subjects

Nicolas Meunier

Publications and source records attributed to Nicolas Meunier.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Numerical simulation on a cell polarisation model: the polar case

When it is polarised, a cell develops an asymmetric distribution of specific molecular markers, cytoskeleton and cell membrane shape. Polarisation can occur spontaneously or be triggered by external signals, like gradients of signalling molecules... In this work, we use the published models of cell polarisation and we set a numerical analysis for these models. They are based on nonlinear convection-diffusion equations and the nonlinearity in the transport term expresses the positive loop between the level of protein concentration localised in a small area of the cell membrane and the number of new proteins that will be convected to the same area. We perform numerical simulations and we illustrate that these models are rich enough to describe the apparition of a polarisome.

math.AP↗

arXiv2012

Invasion fronts with variable motility: phenotype selection, spatial sorting and wave acceleration

Invasion fronts in ecology are well studied but very few mathematical results concern the case with variable motility (possibly due to mutations). Based on an apparently simple reaction-diffusion equation, we explain the observed phenomena of front acceleration (when the motility is unbounded) as well as other quantitative results, such as the selection of the most motile individuals (when the motility is bounded). The key argument for the construction and analysis of traveling fronts is the derivation of the dispersion relation linking the speed of the wave and the spatial decay. When the motility is unbounded we show that the position of the front scales as $t^{3/2}$. When the mutation rate is low we show that the canonical equation for the dynamics of the fittest trait should be stated as a PDE in our context. It turns out to be a type of Burgers equation with source term.

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arXiv2011

Analysis of a non local model for spontaneous cell polarisation

In this work, we investigate the dynamics of a non-local model describing spontaneous cell polarisation. It consists in a drift-diffusion equation set in the half-space, with the coupling involving the trace value on the boundary. We characterize the following behaviours in the one-dimensional case: solutions are global if the mass is below the critical mass and they blow-up in finite time above the critical mass. The higher-dimensional case is also discussed. The results are reminiscent of the classical Keller-Segel system in double the dimension. In addition, in the one-dimensional case we prove quantitative convergence results using relative entropy techniques. This work is complemented with a more realistic model that takes into account dynamical exchange of molecular content at the boundary. In the one-dimensional case we prove that blow-up is prevented. Furthermore, density converges towards a non trivial stationary configuration.

math.AP↗

arXiv2011

A congestion model for cell migration

This paper deals with a class of macroscopic models for cell migration in a saturated medium for two-species mixtures. Those species tend to achieve some motion according to a desired velocity, and congestion forces them to adapt their velocity. This adaptation is modelled by a correction velocity which is chosen minimal in a least-square sense. We are especially interested in two situations: a single active species moves in a passive matrix (cell migration) with a given desired velocity, and a closed-loop Keller-Segel type model, where the desired velocity is the gradient of a self-emitted chemoattractant. We propose a theoretical framework for the open-loop model (desired velocities are defined as gradients of given functions) based on a formulation in the form of a gradient flow in the Wasserstein space. We propose a numerical strategy to discretize the model, and illustrate its behaviour in the case of a prescribed velocity, and for the saturated Keller-Segel model.

math.NA↗

arXiv2009

A one-dimensional Keller-Segel equation with a drift issued from the boundary

We investigate in this note the dynamics of a one-dimensional Keller-Segel type model on the half-line. On the contrary to the classical configuration, the chemical production term is located on the boundary. We prove, under suitable assumptions, the following dichotomy which is reminiscent of the two-dimensional Keller-Segel system. Solutions are global if the mass is below the critical mass, they blow-up in finite time above the critical mass, and they converge to some equilibrium at the critical mass. Entropy techniques are presented which aim at providing quantitative convergence results for the subcritical case. This note is completed with a brief introduction to a more realistic model (still one-dimensional).

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arXiv2009

Rigorous and heuristic treatment of sensitive singular perturbations arising in elliptic shells

We consider singular perturbations of elliptic systems depending on a parameter ? such that, for ? = 0 the boundary conditions are not adapted to the equation (they do not satisfy the Shapiro - Lopatinskii condition). The limit holds only in very abstract spaces out of distribu- tion theory involving complexi?cation and non-local phenomena. This system appears in the thin shell theory when the middle surface is el- liptic and the shell is fixed on a part of the boundary and free on the rest. We use a heuristic reasoning applying some simplifications which allow to reduce the original problem in a domain to another problem on its boundary. The novelty of this work is that we consider systems of partial differential equations while in our previous work we were dealing with single equations.

math.AP↗

arXiv2009

Integral approach to sensitive singular perturbations

We consider singular perturbation elliptic problems depending on a parameter ? such that, for ? = 0 the boundary conditions are not adapted to the equation (they do not satisfy the Shapiro - Lopatinskii condition). The limit only holds in very abstract spaces out of distribution theory involving complexi?cation and non-local phenomena. We give a very elementary model problem showing the main features of the limit process, as well as a heuristic integral procedure for obtain- ing a description of the solutions for small ?. Such kind of problems appear in thin shell theory when the middle surface is elliptic and the shell is fixed by a part of the boundary and free by the rest.

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