Modeling tumor transport and growth with poroelastic biopolymer networks

The mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) regulate tumor growth and invasion in the tumor microenvironment. Models of biopolymer networks have been used to investigate the impact of the elasticity and viscoelasticity of ECM on tumor behavior. Under tumor compression, these networks also show poroelastic behavior that is governed by the resistance to water flow through their pores. This work investigates the hypothesis that stress-dependent transport properties of biopolymer networks regulate tumor growth. Here, alginate hydrogels are used as a model ECM system with tunable ionic and hybrid ionic/covalent crosslinking. Hydrogel stiffness, viscoelasticity, and stress relaxation behavior were characterized using stepwise axial compression. Among these properties, we find that poroelastic fluid outflow dominates ECM stress relaxation, as the measured water flux was significantly affected under compression. Continuum mechanics-based modeling was developed to formulate and c..., , # Data from: Modeling tumor transport and growth with poroelastic biopolymer networks This repository contains experimental compression data and logistic fit parameters derived from chemical potential analysis of poroelastic biopolymer networks. These datasets serve as the foundational inputs for the multiscale computational modeling of growth factor transport and tumor growth. All data files in this Dryad repository are released under the **CC0 1.0 Universal (Public Domain Dedication)** license. You may use, copy, modify, and distribute them freely without restriction. For the full computational pipeline, including the Julia advection-diffusion PDE solver and PhysiCell agent-based modeling scripts, please refer to the accompanying GitHub repository: [https://github.com/Sharvari303/Tumor-poroelasticity-growth-modeling/tree/main](https://github.com/Sharvari303/Tumor-poroelasticity-growth-modeling/tree/main) **Note**: The agent-based modeling results were generated using **PhysiCell v..., ,