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Papers

A Computational model for osmosis phenomena of cells through semi-permeable membranes

  • AuthorImbunm Kim, Taeyoung Ha, Dongwoo Sheen
  • JournalJournal of the Korean Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics 13/2 (2009


The effect of a solute concentration difference on the osmotic transport of water through the semi-permeable membrane of a simple cell model is investigated. So far, most studies on osmotic phenomena are described by simple diffusion-type equations ignoring all fluid motion or described by Stokes flow. In our work, as the governing equations, we consider the coupled full Navier-Stokes equations which describe the fluid motion and the full transport equation that takes into account of convection and diffusion effects. A two dimensional finite difference model has been developed to simulate the velocity field, concentration field, and semi-permeable membrane ment. It is shown that the cell swells to regions of lower solute concentration due to the uneven water flux through the semi-permeable membrane. The simulation is applied on a red blood cell geometry and the relevant results are presented.


The effect of a solute concentration difference on the osmotic transport of water through the semi-permeable membrane of a simple cell model is investigated. So far, most studies on osmotic phenomena are described by simple diffusion-type equations ignoring all fluid motion or described by Stokes flow. In our work, as the governing equations, we consider the coupled full Navier-Stokes equations which describe the fluid motion and the full transport equation that takes into account of convection and diffusion effects. A two dimensional finite difference model has been developed to simulate the velocity field, concentration field, and semi-permeable membrane ment. It is shown that the cell swells to regions of lower solute concentration due to the uneven water flux through the semi-permeable membrane. The simulation is applied on a red blood cell geometry and the relevant results are presented.