WELL-POSEDNESS RESULTS FOR GENERAL REACTION–DIFFUSION TRANSPORT OF OXYGEN IN ENCAPSULATED CELLS

Abstract We provide well-posedness results for nonlinear parabolic partial differential equations (PDEs) given by reaction–diffusion equations describing the concentration of oxygen in encapsulated cells. The cells are described in terms of a core and a shell, which introduces a discontinuous diffusion coefficient as the material properties of the core and shell differ. In addition, the cells are subject to general nonlinear consumption of oxygen. As no monotonicity condition is imposed on the consumption, monotone operator theory cannot be used. Moreover, the discontinuity in the diffusion coefficient bars us from applying classical results on strong solutions. However, by directly applying a Galerkin method, we obtain uniqueness and existence of the strong form solution. These results provide the basis to study the dynamics of cells in critical states.