Fluid-structure modeling of flow-induced alveolar epithelial cell deformation

Fluid buildup in the small pulmonary airways can exert injurious stresses on the epithelial cells which line airway walls. Under these conditions, the amount of deformation-induced cell injury may depend on the magnitude of the hydrodynamic stresses and the cells’ mechanical properties. In this study, we present 2D and 3D fluid-structure interaction models of flow-induced cell deformation. We report wall shear stress on the cells and cell membrane strain for a range of cell and membrane stiffness values. Results indicate that more compliant cells experience lower wall shear stresses but higher membrane strains. We correlate our results to experimental studies of cellular injury under airway reopening conditions and validate our computational method by comparison to an analytical solution of flow over a rigid protrusion in a channel.