Models and simulations of sprouting angiogenesis

All living mammalian cells need to consume oxygen and nutrients for cellular processes and need a way to remove waste from those cellular processes. Capillary networks provide places for such exchanges to occur. The process of creating new capillaries from existing blood vessels is called angiogenesis.;Understanding angiogenesis is critical to the advancement of knowledge in the life sciences, as well as in medical applications where blood vessels play an important role. Angiogenesis is a complex process composed of many subprocesses which are not yet fully understood and take place over varying temporal and spatial scales. Mathematically modeling and simulating angiogenesis, and evaluating the capillary networks that result, can help further understanding of angiogenesis.;This thesis examines mathematical models and simulations of angiogenesis and proposes two generic models of sprouting angiogenesis based on descriptions found in educational and scientific literature. Future research opportunities for scientific study and educational study using these models as a starting place are discussed.