Simulations of oscillatory glycolytic patterns in cells

Abstract

Using the mean-field reaction–diffusion equations and Monte Carlo (MC) technique, we simulate oscillatory glycolytic kinetics in 3D spherical or 2D circular cells. The model employed takes into account the glucose supply to the cell ia the cell membrane and a few elementary reaction steps running inside the cell. The model parameters are chosen so that the typical size of oscillatory patterns is comparable with the cell size. In the mean-field approximation, the oscillations are periodic and may occur with large amplitude. In contrast, the MC kinetics are appreciably irregular and the amplitude of oscillations is smaller in the latter case. Both these effects are connected with deviation of the metabolite distribution in the cell from the symmetrical one due to fluctuations. The spatiotemporal patterns obtained in our MC simulations are qualitatively similar to those observed recently in neutrophils.