The Importance of Subcellular Structures to the Modeling of Biological Cells in the Context of Computational Bioelectromagnetics Simulations

TL;DR

This study develops a detailed FEM-based modeling approach to analyze electromagnetic interactions within eukaryotic cells, emphasizing the role of subcellular structures like membranes at 5G frequencies for accurate bioelectromagnetic simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method for spatially accurate current and power density calculation in single cells with internal complexity, advancing multicellular tissue modeling in bioelectromagnetics.

Findings

Membranes significantly contribute to absorption at 5G frequencies.

Cell internal structures influence electric field distribution.

Dispersive properties affect current and power densities.

Abstract

Numerical investigation of the interaction of electromagnetic fields with eukaryotic cells requires specifically adapted computer models. Virtual microdosimetry, used to investigate exposure, requires volumetric cell models, which are numerically challenging. For this reason, a method is presented here to determine the current and power densities occurring in single cells and their distinct compartments in a spatially accurate manner as a first step towards multicellular models within the microstructure of tissue layers. To achieve this, 3D models of the electromagnetic exposure of generic eukaryotic cells of different shape (i.e. spherical and ellipsoidal) and internal complexity (i.e. different organelles) are performed in a virtual, FEM-based capacitor experiment in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 100 GHz. In this context, the spectral response of the current and power distribution within the cell compartments is investigated and any effects that occur are attributed either to the dispersive material properties of these compartments or to the geometric characteristics of the cell model investigated in each case. In these investigations, the cell is represented as an anisotropic body with an internal distributed membrane system of low conductivity that mimics the endoplasmic reticulum in a simplified manner. This will be used to determine which details of the cell interior need to be modeled, how the electric field and the current density will be distributed in this region, and where the electromagnetic energy is absorbed in the microstructure regarding electromagnetic microdosimetry. Results show that for 5G frequencies, membranes make a significant contribution to the absorption losses.