A CONTINUUM-MECHANICS APPROACH TO DETERMINING THE CELLULAR VELOCITY-FIELD WITHIN A WOOL FOLLICLE

A model, based on the principles of continuum mechanics, is presented for the analysis of cell-velocity fields within wool follicles. The mo del requires spec ification of three follicle characteristics in the f orm of spatially varying fields: viscosity, cell density and cell prod uction rate. The viscosity is introduced as an attempt to model both c omplex intercellular interactions and individual cell deformation as t he cells move. It is demonstrated that the distribution of cell produc tion is more important than axial variation in viscosity in determinin g the overall flow pattern. (C) 1998 Society for Mathematical Biology.