Les Houches Lectures on Flow Networks in Biology

TL;DR

This paper reviews the physics and biological adaptation of flow networks in human organs, emphasizing how physics and biology interact to shape efficient transport systems.

Contribution

It provides an integrated overview of fluid physics and biological network adaptation, highlighting how biological systems reorganize to optimize flow efficiency.

Findings

Biological flow networks adapt to minimize dissipation.

Flow networks store memories of past flow states.

Physics of Stokes flow underpins biological flow modeling.

Abstract

Flows are essential to transport resources over large distances. As soon as diffusion becomes time-limiting, flows are needed. Flows are key for the function of multiple human organs, from the blood vasculature to the lungs, the digestive tract, the lymphatic system, and many more. While physics governs the flow dynamics, biology's response to flows governs the flow network architecture. We start with the fluid physics of Stokes flow, the prerequisite to describe the flows in biological flow networks. Then we explore how the network adaptation dynamics of biological flow networks reorganize network architecture to minimize flow dissipation or homogenize transport, storing memories of past flows along the way.