Numerical Model for Formation and Evolution of the Bleb

The morphology of a bleb and its changes are critical to the amoeboid migration of a cell. By releasing bonds between the membrane and the cortex of a cell, the formation of a bleb can be observed experimentally, but the mechanism that affects the size and shape of a bleb during amoeboid migration requires further study. In this study, by adapting the governing equations and discrete equations of the two-dimensional fluid–solid coupling model recommended by Strychalski and Guy [2013 “A computational model of bleb formation,” Mathematical Medicine and Biology 30(2), 115–130], we overcome the defect that the bleb by traditional means is always too small compared with experimental results, and simulate the behaviors of cell blebs successfully. The effects of various parameters such as the number of broken bonds, the viscosity coefficient of the cortex, and the cell’s membrane modulus on the size and the shape of the bleb are investigated. Numerical results show that the model effectively simulates the formation and evolution of a bleb, thus, the contributions of several factors to bleb shape and size are successfully derived.