HEMETβ: improvement of hepatocyte metabolism mathematical model

Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin. 2011 Oct;14(10):837-51. doi: 10.1080/10255842.2010.497145. Epub 2011 Jun 1.

Abstract

This article describes hepatocyte metabolism mathematical model (HEMETβ), which is an improved version of HEMET, an effective and versatile virtual cell model based on hepatic cell metabolism. HEMET is based on a set of non-linear differential equations, implemented in Simulink®, which describes the biochemical reactions and energetic cell state, and completely mimics the principal metabolic pathways in hepatic cells. The cell energy function and modular structure are the core of this model. HEMETβ as HEMET model describes hepatic cellular metabolism in standard conditions (cell culture in a plastic multi-well placed in an incubator at 37° C with 5% of CO2) and with excess substrates concentration. The main improvements in HEMETβ are the introductions of Michaelis-Menten models for reversible reactions and enzymatic inhibition. In addition, we eliminated hard non-linearities and modelled cell proliferation and every single aminoacid degradation pathway. All these innovations, combined with a user-friendly aspect, allow researchers to create new cell types and validate new experimental protocols just varying 'peripheral' pathways or model inputs.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Computer Simulation*
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Pentose Phosphate Pathway

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Glucose