Characterizing the Dynamics of Muscle Regeneration in the mdx Mouse Model

Abstract

In this work, we explore a model of immune response in the skeletal muscle of the mdx mouse, the preferred animal model for studying Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The system studied is based on existing literature and describes the reaction of the tissue, and of the immune cells within it, to external damage, focusing specifically on the regeneration process. This work extends the analysis conducted by the authors of the original paper, highlighting interesting dynamical properties of the system, particularly in terms of longterm behavior and dependence on initial conditions. A modification is then introduced to the original equations, incorporating a diffusion term for immune cells. The dynamics of the system is numerically investigated in both the one-dimensional and two-dimensional cases. Specifically, we investigate the effect of diffusion under various boundary conditions, and the system's response to localized damage.