Multi-physics approach to model the lymph transport in the murine immune system

Abstract We formulate a compartmental model of the murine lymphatic system with the transfer rate parameters derived from the data on the geometric characteristics of the lymphatic system (LS) graph structure and the Hagen–Poiseuille-based values of the lymph flows through the system components, i.e., vertices and edges. It is supplemented by the physics-based model of lymph node draining-related function which considers a paradigmatic view of its geometry with one- and three-afferent lymphatic vessels and one efferent vessel, and the lymph flow described by the Darcy–Starling equations. We discuss further modelling work needed to gain a predictive understanding of the LS function in response to various perturbations including infections and therapeutic treatments.