Investigation of diffusion process inside the cell using Monte Carlo Cell (MCell)

Understanding a structure, function and molecular mechanisms of a cell are not easy. Even though, it is difficult, but it still has a solution to be investigated. The aim of this study is to investigate the compartment model as a structure of a cell and diffusion process inside a cell and nucleus by using Monte Carlo simulation. MCell was used to analyze the compartment model for mechanisms inside a cell and nucleus. Compartment model consist two icosphere with different size, with cell diameter for 0.8 mu m and nucleus diameter varies for about 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6 mu m, respectively. Another parameter was their width and a model of receptor on the surface of the nucleus. During investigation, an amount of receptor was 120, 150, and 180 grid element. The model was collected and separated. The diffusion process flew from cell to the nucleus and returned to the cell with 2000 molecules on surface. MCell successfully simulated compartment model for a cell and the nucleus. Diffusion process depended on the diameter of the nucleus. The greater the nucleus, more effective the speed of diffusion process would be because the concentration inside the cell was increase and concentration in the nucleus was decrease.