Bone Remodelling in BioShape

Many biological phenomena are inherently multiscale, i.e. they are characterised by interactions involving different scales at the same time. This is the case of bone remodelling, where macroscopic behaviour (at organ and tissue scale) and microstructure (at cell scale) strongly influence each other. Consequently, several approaches have been defined to model such a process at different spatial and temporal levels and, in particular, in terms of continuum properties, abstracting in this way from a realistic - and more complex - cellular scenario. While a large amount of information is available to validate such models separately, more work is needed to integrate all levels fully in a faithful multiscale model. In this scenario, we propose the use of BioShape, a 3D particle-based, scale-independent, geometry and space oriented simulator. It is used to define and integrate a cell and tissue scale model for bone remodelling in terms of shapes equipped with perception, interaction and movement capabilities. Their in-silico simulation allows for tuning continuum-based tissutal and cellular models, as well as for better understanding - both in qualitative and in quantitative terms - the blurry synergy between mechanical and metabolic factors triggering bone remodelling.